The failure of elbows up Carney

The Growth Op
Thu, Jul 23
Key Points
  • U.S. President Donald Trump has announced new tariffs on Canadian imports, worsening the Canada-U.S. relationship.
  • National Post columnist Michael Higgins critically assesses Prime Minister Mark Carney’s approach to handling Trump.
  • The initial tough political rhetoric from Carney has been followed by concessions, exposing Canada’s vulnerabilities.
  • Higgins warns that Carney’s prolonged trade negotiation strategy is a risky gamble, leaving Canada in a difficult position.

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced new tariffs to be imposed upon Canadian imports, marking a further erosion in an already deteriorating Canada-U.S. relationship. In this interview with NP Comment’s Rob Breakenridge, National Post columnist Michael Higgins offers a critical look at Prime Minister Mark Carney’s dealings with Trump, and the major gap between rhetoric and reality. The tough talk — and winning political tactic — of “elbows up” has been followed by concessions and signs of weakness that have made Canada more vulnerable. While dealing with Trump is clearly a difficult challenge, Higgins argues that Carney’s strategy of dragging out trade negotiations is a risky gamble that now leaves Canada in a tough spot. Watch the full video directly below.