St. John's, Canada - Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Monday said he plans to speak with President Donald Trump in the coming hours as Canada seeks to avert a new round of US tariffs on a broad range of goods.
Speaking to reporters in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, on Canada's east coast, Carney said negotiations were "intense" and "delicate" but declined to give further details.
"We are in the middle of a negotiation, and we are coming into those negotiations from a position of strength," Carney said.
Asked if he had a plan should new US tariffs be announced, Carney responded, "I have plans for any situation that may arise."
Trump announced additional tariffs of 50% in July, which are due to take effect on August 19.
According to the White House, the measures would apply to a range of Canadian goods imported into the US, including hockey sticks, wine, and cement.
The White House said the tariffs were a response to what it described as Canada's discriminatory treatment of US products, citing cars, alcohol, and dairy products.
Relations between Canada and the US have deteriorated sharply since Trump returned to office, driven by new tariffs, repeated threats against Canada, and his calls for the neighboring country to become the 51st US state.
In response to US trade measures, several Canadian provinces have removed US alcohol from store shelves and urged consumers to buy domestic products.