‘Need to find a conclusion’: Manitoba Chambers of Commerce calls for resolution to U.S.-Canada trade dispute

Chuck Davidson with the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce discusses Canada’s removal of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods.

The president of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce said the recent lifting of retaliatory tariffs by Canada on goods from the United States is an understandable reaction to the ongoing trade dispute between the two nations.

“We’ve got to get that negotiation with the U.S. back on the table,” Chuck Davidson said during a Monday interview with CTV Morning Live. “We need to find a conclusion to the situation.”

On Friday, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Canada was removing all retaliatory tariffs on goods from the United States that comply with the current CUSMA trade agreement. Tariffs remain on steel and aluminum products and automobiles.

“I think what we found over the course of these past eight months is there is no straight line to negotiations with President Trump,” Davidson said. “It seems to go up and down on a daily basis. So, you need to understand what he’s looking for and understand what’s in the best interest of Canada at the same time.”

The decision comes after eight months of tension between the two countries over Trump’s comments about making Canada the 51st state. The ‘elbows up’ movement, which saw Canadians show patriotism for their country by boycotting American products in stores, soon grew.

“Is there time to have elbows up? Absolutely. And I think we did that when we put the retaliatory tariffs on the U.S.,” Davidson said. “I think when they’ve come down, you need to show a sign of good faith when you’re negotiating that.”

Davidson said Manitoba businesses have been dealing with uncertainty for the past eight months, and it has prevented them from investing or expanding until a clearer picture emerges. He said many have been focusing on interprovincial trade, or trade with other countries, but noted that it hasn’t made up all the losses from U.S. trade.

-With files from CTV’s Rachel Lagace