OTTAWA — Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne says it’s “sad” that the U.S. “turned its back” on Canada by starting a trade war which is now forcing Ottawa to “reinvent” the national economy.
Champagne said after a caucus meeting today that “a lot of the costs” the country must carry in the upcoming federal budget are “directly related to the trade war that has been imposed on Canada.”
His comments came after U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra said the Trump administration was “hopeful” about the prospects for a “much bigger” deal with Canada that would go beyond renegotiating the current trade pact.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he’s hoping to reach smaller sectoral deals with U.S. President Donald Trump to de-escalate the ongoing trade war, and to draft a new economic and security partnership.
Canada, the U.S. and Mexico are inching toward a major review of the trilateral Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement due next year.
The U.S. Trade Representative posted a notice of consultation this week seeking feedback on the review.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2025.
Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press
