OTTAWA — Former deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland says she is relieved Canada abandoned trade negotiations with the United States, arguing Ottawa was on the verge of accepting a deal that would have harmed both countries.Freeland, who led Canada’s negotiations with the first Trump administration, told Bloomberg News Sunday that Ottawa must seek cooperation with Washington without capitulating to U.S. President Donald Trump..“I’m not surprised. I am relieved,” Freeland said. “I think that we were on the brink of a deal that would have been a bad deal for Canada and also, frankly, a bad deal for the United States.”Prime Minister Mark Carney suspended negotiations late Friday after accusing Washington of introducing last-minute terms that were “unfair, uneconomic” and called the reliability of any agreement into question..Freeland said Canada should follow three principles when dealing with the Trump administration.The first is to continue identifying areas in which the two countries can work together.“There are a lot,” she said. “Ultimately, this is a win-win relationship.”Freeland said Canada must also take its case directly to Americans outside the White House, reviving what she called the “doughnut strategy” used during the 2018 renegotiation of the North American free-trade agreement.That strategy involved Canadian ministers, premiers, diplomats and business leaders building relationships with members of Congress, state governors, local officials and American businesses surrounding the White House.“I think Americans are basically good, decent, smart people, and I think Americans broadly recognize their relationship with Canada is excellent, and they don’t want to break it,” Freeland said.“I think Team Canada now really needs to go out and explain that to Americans.”Her third principle was refusing to yield to pressure from the Trump administration.“With this administration, you cannot capitulate,” Freeland said.“My motto was: We do not escalate and we do not back down. And I think that is the only language that the Trump administration understands.”The United States imposed 50% tariffs Saturday on roughly $28 billion in Canadian goods after negotiations collapsed. Carney has promised dollar-for-dollar retaliation beginning Sept. 8.Trump escalated the dispute Monday by threatening 50% tariffs on all Canadian cars, trucks, automotive parts and steel beginning Jan. 1, 2027.Freeland previously served as Canada’s foreign affairs minister, finance minister and deputy prime minister. She represented University—Rosedale in Parliament before leaving federal politics.She now serves as an economic development adviser to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
