CCI Statement on Canada’s Tariff and Trade Strategy with the United States

Today in Ottawa, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Canada will be dropping retaliatory tariffs against the United States, as part of a strategy to renegotiate USMCA next year. In response to this announcement, CCI President Benjamin Bergen issued the following statement on behalf of our members:

"Prime Minister Mark Carney has signaled his intent to reset the trade relationship with the United States by removing retaliatory tariffs. But Canada cannot afford to view this moment simply as an opportunity to “return to normal” because normal has not served Canada well.

"For decades, successive U.S. administrations—regardless of party—have advanced policies that undermine Canada’s economic sovereignty, from intellectual property provisions in USMCA, to regulatory overreach in key growth sectors, to the weaponization of uncertainty as a deliberate negotiation tactic. The digital and intangibles economy has only amplified these pressures.

"Any future negotiation with the United States must be rooted in a sober recognition of these structural imbalances, not a desire to appease individual actors.

"As Canada moves forward with renegotiating of USMCA, we must do so with a clear and assertive strategy to protect our sovereignty, secure our digital economy, and build lasting economic resilience. Trade negotiations are not just about tariffs; they are about setting the rules for how data, innovation, and prosperity flow in the 21st century.

"Canada’s poor terms of trade reflect our continued overreliance on raw, low-margin exports and our chronic underinvestment in high-value, innovation-driven sectors. Any credible trade strategy must focus not just on access, but on what we’re selling and whether it builds national wealth.

"This may be a moment to reset—but not to retreat. We need a forward-looking trade policy that serves Canadian prosperity, not one that assumes the old playbook will deliver new results."

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Media Contact:

James McLeod
jmcleod@canadianinnovators.org