Seventy-three percent of Canadians support a hard line in tariff talks with the United States, poll finds

Nearly three in four Canadians support refusing concessions to the United States, even if doing so worsens trade relations, according to an Angus Reid Institute poll released as Ottawa’s retaliatory tariffs took effect.

The survey found that 73% favored a hard line toward Washington, the highest level recorded since the trade dispute began. Just 27% preferred making concessions to preserve relations with Canada’s largest trading partner.

Canada began applying retaliatory tariffs on U.S. imports valued at 27.6 billion Canadian dollars, about US$20 billion, in response to tariffs imposed by Donald Trump’s government. Prime Minister Mark Carney defended the decision to halt trade negotiations and accused Washington of seeking to increase Canada’s economic dependence.

Carney said the United States had demanded, among other things, influence over Canada’s future trade agreements and restrictions affecting industries including automobiles, steel and forest products. The suspension of talks appeared to strengthen his political standing. His approval rating rose 11 points in one month to 62%, close to its 63% peak.

Only 26% of respondents wanted Canada to resume negotiations immediately. Forty-one percent preferred waiting until after the U.S. midterm elections on November 3. The poll surveyed 1,498 Canadian adults on September 3 and 4, with a comparative margin of error of two percentage points.