Manitoba’s business community is “extremely disappointed” after it was announced a trade deal would not come to fruition Friday evening between Canada and the United States. Late Friday evening, the two countries announced that despite weeks of talks, a trade deal would not be reached, triggering new 50 per cent tariffs from the U.S. on $28 billion worth of Canadian goods. Speaking Saturday, Prime Minister Mark Carney said retaliatory tariffs would be applied on Sept. 8. He noted the deal fell apart after the U.S. tried to add “new terms that were economically unfair.” In an interview with CTV News Winnipeg on Saturday, Chuck Davidson, the president and CEO of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, said he is disappointed for all the Manitoba businesses and workers, as it appeared a deal was imminent. “I think what we’re looking for right now is urging both sides to get back to the table. I think there’s obviously still a deal to be made and we think that’s just extremely important to not only the Canadian but also the U.S. economy,” said Davidson. While disappointed, Davidson said it isn’t surprising to hear that the U.S. added new details to the deal at the last minute, calling it part of the U.S. playbook. “Over the course of these past 18 months, the goalposts continually change and the rules of engagement continually change,” he said. “I think Canada has done what is expected and I think there’s been a real Team Canada approach to try and get the best deal for Canada and if it’s not on the table, then it’s time to walk away and I think we understand that.” He said he is supportive of the federal government and is hopeful these tariffs will be short-lived and the two sides will be able to reach an agreement soon. In the meantime, he said now is the time for Manitobans and Canadians to support local businesses to help everyone get through this latest hurdle. As for the future, Davidson said Canada needs to continue to diversify its trade strategy. “We need to make sure that in the long term that we put ourselves in a much better position so that we’re not going through a situation like this again. Which means getting rid of internal trade barriers,” he added. “It means looking at new markets. It means making investments in key infrastructure to be able to move goods to other jurisdictions as well.”
