Carney dropped $30‑billion US counter-tariffs as polling showed Canadians losing patience with trade fight

Prime Minister Mark Carney scrapped $30 billion worth of retaliatory tariffs against the United States after internal polling warned Canadians were growing tired of what they saw as an escalating trade feud, newly released federal records reveal.Privy Council researchers reported that focus group participants increasingly preferred negotiation over continued tariff exchanges. Many said they wanted Ottawa to defend Canadian economic interests but did not want the country locked into “an ongoing cycle of retaliation” with ever-rising duties.The July 30 report, Continuous Qualitative Data Collection Of Canadians’ Views, found most participants felt Canada‑U.S. relations had worsened compared to earlier in 2025. Three weeks later, on August 22, Carney announced he would withdraw the tariffs — a move he publicly framed as deliberate and strategic.Carney used hockey metaphors to justify the shift, telling reporters the government had already “dropped the gloves in the first period” and sent its message. “There’s also a time in a game when you want the puck, you want to stick handle, you want to pass, you want the puck in the net,” he said. “We’re at that time of the game.”When pressed by a reporter on whether easing pressure on U.S. President Donald Trump would be effective, Carney said his government saw “the opportunity to build on where our relationship already is.”The polling showed Canadians were increasingly uneasy as the trade dispute dragged on. Participants were unsure whether Ottawa was on the right track in handling Canada‑U.S. issues, and opinions were mixed on whether the federal government was adequately protecting Canadian industries from U.S. tariffs.The findings were based on focus groups held nationwide from June 3 to 26. Cabinet aides commissioned the research under a $1.6 million contract with The Strategic Counsel, a Toronto‑based polling firm.

Carney dropped $30‑billion US counter-tariffs as polling showed Canadians losing patience with trade fight

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