- Poilievre's letter accuses Carney of backing down to American demands, stating: "For the past year and a half, you have backed down to one American demand after another while getting nothing in return, with concession after concession," and adds that Canada has lost ground with American tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum doubling and broadening and tariffs on lumber tripling.
- Poilievre said Canadians deserve a good deal that includes zero tariffs on softwood lumber, an end to sectoral tariffs on steel and aluminum, a tariff-free auto pact, and full exemption to Buy America rules on infrastructure projects at all levels of government.
- Poilievre's letter concludes with a call to action: "No more pursuing policies of a managed decline at home. No more caving."
- The Conservatives reiterated their call to strengthen Canada's negotiating position with the creation of a strategic reserve of critical minerals, which would be open to countries that provide tariff-free access to their own markets.
- According to industry sources, the Canadian government is considering ending bans on American alcohol sales, lifting retaliatory tariffs on U.S. autos, and making some changes on dairy, in exchange for tariff relief; in exchange, Canada is pushing for the U.S. to drop the new 50 per cent tariffs, relief from sectoral tariffs on steel and aluminum, and a joint announcement that talks on CUSMA will resume in the fall.
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre has called on Mark Carney to resist U.S. tariff demands, emphasizing that Canada has made too many concessions without receiving adequate benefits. In a letter shared with reporters, Poilievre and Canada-U.S. relations critic Shuvaloy Majumdar highlighted several instances where Ottawa has capitulated to U.S. pressures, including the scrapping of the digital service tax and the removal of counter-tariffs.
"For the past year and a half, you have backed down to one American demand after another while getting nothing in return, with concession after concession," Poilievre stated. He pointed out that Canadian tariffs on steel and aluminum have doubled, while lumber tariffs have tripled, urging Carney to secure a better deal for Canadians.3
Poilievre's demands include zero tariffs on softwood lumber, an end to sectoral tariffs on steel and aluminum, and a tariff-free auto pact. He also called for full exemptions from Buy America rules on infrastructure projects. As new U.S. tariffs are set to take effect on August 19, Poilievre warned against further concessions, stating, "No more pursuing policies of a managed decline at home. No more caving."4
The Conservative party has also suggested creating a strategic reserve of critical minerals to strengthen Canada's negotiating position, which would be accessible to countries offering tariff-free access to their markets. Meanwhile, the Canadian government is reportedly considering lifting retaliatory tariffs on U.S. autos and making concessions on dairy in exchange for tariff relief, including the new 50% tariffs on various Canadian goods.5
“Poilievre's letter demands zero tariffs on softwood lumber, an end to sectoral tariffs on steel and aluminum, a tariff-free auto pact, and full exemption to Buy America rules. Industry sources say Canada is considering ending alcohol bans and lifting auto tariffs in exchange for tariff relief.”
