‘We’re not at war with Canada,’ U.S. treasury secretary says

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said he would meet Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne on the sidelines of a G20 finance ministers’ meeting, while rejecting the idea that the trade dispute amounted to a war.

“I think this is very unfortunate that Prime Minister Carney has turned this into a political shouting match. I mean, we’re not at war with Canada,” Bessent told CNBC. He said Mark Carney was “not doing what’s best for Canada” and criticized Ottawa’s retaliatory tariffs.

“

I think this is very unfortunate that Prime Minister Carney has turned this into a political shouting match. I mean, we’re not at war with Canada.

Bessent also argued that Canada could not sustain a tit-for-tat trade fight with a much larger economy. “I don’t think you can be in a tit-for-tat with someone who is 13 times larger than you are,” he said.

“

not doing what’s best for Canada

A poll by Ipsos for Global News found that 63% of respondents believed Canada was right to stand firm in negotiations, even if that meant higher costs and job losses. Only 18% said Canada should have made additional sacrifices to secure a deal. Support for Ottawa’s dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs on $28 billion of U.S. goods reached 73%.

Support was lower among younger Canadians. Forty-eight percent of Generation Z respondents backed standing firm, compared with about 80% of older baby boomers. Fifty-seven percent of millennials supported that position, while 59% backed the retaliatory tariffs.

“

I don’t think you can be in a tit-for-tat with someone who is 13 times larger than you are.