What to know
- Carney urges Canadians to “buy and build locally” in response to renewed threats from U.S. President Donald Trump to impose 100 per cent tariffs.
- Trump escalates rhetoric, calling Carney a “governor” and accusing Canada of acting as a “drop-off port” for Chinese goods following its deal with China in recent days.
- U.S. officials warn Canada risks its trade deal as the Canada–U.S.–Mexico agreement undergoes review.
Prime Minister Mark Carney is renewing his call for Canadians to buy and build locally in response to renewed 100 per cent tariff threats from the U.S. President Donald Trump.
“Canadians have made a choice to focus on what we can control”, the prime minister said in the video he posted to X on Saturday.
“We can’t control what other nations do. We can be our own best customer.”
@nowtoronto Prime Minister Mark Carney is reiterating his call for Canadians to buy and build local amid renewed 100% tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump. #CanadaStrong ♬ original sound – Now Toronto
The Liberal government had announced the Buy Canadian Policy last month to “protect and prioritize Canadian workers and industries” by prioritizing Canadian supplies in federal procurement projects.
Saturday’s video comes as Trump calls Carney a “governor” and threatens to slam Canada with 100 per cent tariffs. Trump had previously referred to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “governor” but had not extended that to Carney.
In his statement posted on his social media platform, Trump says Carney is “sorely mistaken” if he “thinks he is going to make Canada a ‘Drop Off Port’ for China to send goods and products into the United States.”
Canada’s recent deal with China has been on Trump’s radar since it was first announced, with the president flip-flopping on his view in recent days.
“That’s what he should be doing,” Trump had said when asked the day Carney made the announcement in Beijing earlier this week. “I mean, it’s a good thing for him to sign a trade deal. If you can get a deal with China, you should do that.”
President Trump 8 Days Ago: "If Canada can get a trade deal with China, they should do that."
— The Kobeissi Letter (@KobeissiLetter) January 24, 2026
President Trump Today: "If Canada makes a deal with China, it will immediately be hit with a 100% tariff." https://t.co/Tb1lmMciH2 pic.twitter.com/Be8CdFPOcE
Following his visit to Beijing, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Canada would import 49,000 Chinese-made EVs at a favourable tariff rate in exchange for reduced tariffs on Canadian canola exports.
Chinese President Xi Jinping also extended its visa-free program to Canadian nationals as a result of the bilateral talks.
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Earlier this week, in an interview with Bloomberg from Davos, Switzerland, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick had cautioned that Canada risks losing its trade deal with the U.S. if it continues to “play politics with China.”
Lutnick on Canada's approach: "Canada has the second-best trade deal in the world, but if they keep playing politics with China, they risk losing it. The U.S. is their biggest partner, and they won’t change that, it's political noise, not economic sense." pic.twitter.com/6S1ypxJkSI
— Lumida Wealth Management (@LumidaWealth) January 22, 2026
Canada maintains the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade deal with its southern neighbour, currently undergoing a mandatory, joint evaluation by the three participating nations by July. The evaluation will determine whether the agreement is extended for another 16 years, or expires as originally scheduled in 2036.
