Canadian Prime Minister says discussions with Washington are continuing as both countries seek progress on outstanding trade and cultural issues.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has indicated that a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump could take place at the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, following a brief conversation between the two leaders over the weekend.
Carney confirmed that discussions between Ottawa and Washington on an amended trade framework remain ongoing, although several important issues still need to be resolved before an agreement can be reached.
A key priority for Canada is protecting French-language rights and Canadian cultural content on digital platforms. Ottawa wants to preserve its ability to promote domestic cultural productions and ensure that Canadian content remains accessible in an increasingly digital global environment.
The issue previously contributed to the breakdown of negotiations in August, when Carney suspended trade discussions after rejecting proposed U.S. terms that he said threatened Canada’s cultural protections and national sovereignty.
However, Carney has indicated that progress has been made on some of these concerns, raising hopes that the two governments could find common ground and move towards a revised agreement.
The latest engagement comes amid broader efforts to stabilise economic relations between the neighbouring countries, whose trade relationship has been strained by U.S. tariffs and disagreements over market access.
Recent developments suggest that both sides remain interested in reaching a mutually beneficial arrangement. Carney has maintained that any agreement must protect Canadian workers, businesses, cultural identity and economic interests.
Although a meeting between the two leaders at APEC has not been confirmed, the possibility offers another opportunity for direct engagement as Canada and the United States continue working towards resolving their trade differences.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
