WASHINGTON — Prime Minister Mark Carney is set to have his second meeting in the Oval Office with U-S President Donald Trump today as he balances the expectations of Canadians with the realities of trying to negotiate any tariff relief.
Trump Monday indicated he is committed to his tariffs and boasted about companies leaving Canada and moving to the United States.
Some experts are tempering expectations that today's White House meeting will result in a drop of tariffs but they say it's about playing the long game.
Director of Johns Hopkins University's Center for Canadian Studies Christopher Sands says he will be watching to see if there's a sign from the Trump administration that it will reciprocate what Carney has put on the table.
Carney and Trump have been in constant contact since the two leaders met at the White House in May as Ottawa looks for a tariff-off ramp.
Carney dropped Canada's digital services tax and many retaliatory tariffs while boosting border security and fast-tracking defence spending to hit NATO targets.
Meanwhile, Trump has continued to hit Canada with an increasing list of devastating duties.
Richard Stern with the Washington-based Conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation says the meeting between Carney and Trump is a good sign but he's not optimistic any tariffs will be dropped.