Washington Pressures Ottawa: Canada Has Offered No Real Trade Concessions

By Tahani Elghazaly
Published July 17, 2026

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U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer has intensified Washington’s criticism of Canada, saying Ottawa has yet to offer what he described as “real concessions” capable of advancing trade negotiations with the United States, despite nearly weekly contacts between officials from both countries.

Greer said American officials remain in regular discussions with their Canadian counterparts, but those contacts have not yet developed into formal negotiations producing tangible results. He also argued that Canada’s recent changes to some of its digital policies should not be regarded as concessions made as part of the broader trade talks.

The comments came as Greer discussed the ongoing review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, known in Canada as CUSMA and in the United States as USMCA.

He contrasted Canada’s approach with that of Mexico, describing the Mexican government as more “realistic and pragmatic” in responding to U.S. demands, while suggesting that discussions with Ottawa remain largely stalled.

Washington and Mexico City have already held formal negotiating rounds covering automotive rules of origin, efforts to increase the proportion of American-made components in vehicles manufactured across North America, and disputes involving steel, aluminum and the security of strategic supply chains.

The discussions have also included important industries such as pharmaceuticals and electronics.

Greer indicated that meaningful progress with Canada might require direct political intervention at a higher level between U.S. President Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. However, he did not provide a timetable for the launch of formal negotiations or the conclusion of a possible agreement.

The U.S. criticism comes even though Washington’s trade deficit with Canada reportedly declined by approximately 21% in 2025 to about US$48.3 billion, partly because of lower American imports of Canadian oil.

By comparison, the U.S. trade deficit with Mexico increased by nearly 17% to approximately US$197 billion.

Canada has said it supports renewing CUSMA for another 16-year term, arguing that the agreement sustains millions of jobs and provides Canadian businesses with stable access to the U.S. and Mexican markets.

Ottawa has also noted that the agreement remains legally in effect until 2036, even if the three countries do not immediately agree to extend it during the current review process.

Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc has previously stressed that negotiations cannot be a “one-way conversation.” He said Canada also has major demands, particularly the removal or reduction of U.S. tariffs affecting Canadian steel, aluminum, automobiles and other exports.

Greer’s remarks highlight the continuing divide between the two countries over the structure of future negotiations.

While Washington is pressing Ottawa to make concessions and address what it considers unfair trade practices, Canada maintains that any new agreement must be balanced and include relief from American tariffs affecting Canadian industries, workers and exporters.