Overview
- Mark Carney and President Donald Trump held a phone conversation Sunday that both leaders described as constructive, and they instructed negotiating teams to work over the coming weeks toward a possible agreement.
- The talks focus on U.S. Section 232 tariffs that reach about 50% on steel, aluminum and other goods and 25% on vehicles, and those levies remain in place while key issues are unresolved.
- Sources and coverage report that U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick drove the recent reengagement and has concentrated discussions on steel, aluminum, wood and autos.
- Negotiators may also discuss wider items such as the Keystone XL pipeline and energy exports, but no firm concessions or tariff rollbacks have been announced.
- The dispute has become a live political issue in U.S. midterm battlegrounds such as Michigan and Maine, and Canada is accelerating efforts to diversify exports and deepen ties with partners like the EU.