U.S. Vice-President JD Vance says Prime Minister Mark Carney tried to “out-tough” President Donald Trump during Canada-U.S. trade negotiations, while suggesting Canada ultimately backed down on several issues.
Speaking at a private Republican fundraiser in Southampton, New York, Vance described Carney as a “very sweet guy” whom he gets along with, but mocked the prime minister’s approach to negotiations. He also argued that the purpose of Trump’s trade pressure was to change Canada’s behaviour and claimed the country has shifted somewhat in a “Trumpian direction.”
Vance singled out Conservative MP Jamil Jivani, his longtime friend from Yale, as an effective behind-the-scenes advocate for Canada. He said Jivani had quietly inserted himself into discussions and helped identify areas where both countries could benefit, including energy and automobile tariffs.
Vance was far more dismissive of Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, describing him as a “non-entity” in the negotiations. Jivani’s independent outreach to the Trump administration has previously generated tensions within the Conservative Party, with Poilievre stressing that Jivani speaks for himself rather than the party.
The comments come as Canadian and U.S. officials work to finalize their trade agreement before a Saturday 12:01 a.m. deadline. Trump temporarily delayed new tariffs for three days following a call with Carney, while Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc returned to Washington for further negotiations with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer.
Reports indicate the agreement could reduce U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum and automobiles. Carney has also asked premiers to return American alcohol to provincial liquor-store shelves, while Trump has claimed tariffs affecting U.S. agricultural exports to Canada will be eliminated.
