Carney says a Trump meeting is not absolutely necessary before Shenzhen talks with Xi

Summary

Asked in Montreal on Tuesday, November 10, whether he should sit down with Donald Trump, Mark Carney said a meeting was good but 'not absolutely necessary.' He said US executive officials, not legislators, will shape any trade deal, and that he speaks with the president on a running basis. Tariffs of up to 50% still apply to Canadian steel, autos and aluminum.

The video lays out the calendar. The ASEAN summit in Manila opens on Sunday, November 15, and Carney is invited to address its plenary. Trump arrives on the final day, Tuesday, November 17, for a special US-ASEAN summit, then flies to Shenzhen for the Asia-Pacific summit. The Globe and Mail reports that Carney meets Xi Jinping in Shenzhen that same Tuesday, so Carney and Trump could end up in the same city.

Canada's case rests on the stakes. The two countries traded about $570 billion in goods in the first nine months of the year, and the video argues that tariff costs mostly land on American importers. Quebec's premier is also reaching out directly to American officials, which prompted Carney's reply that it is a good idea to have one negotiator.

Key points

• Carney said a sit-down with Trump is good but 'not absolutely necessary,' and that talks continue either way.
• Tariffs of up to 50% still apply to Canadian steel, autos and aluminum.
• Canada and the US traded about $570 billion in goods in the first nine months of the year.
• US customs duties on Canadian imports: about $400 million in 2024, about $10 billion in 2025.
• New York Fed researchers found nearly 90% of tariff costs were passed on to American importers.
• Quebec's US share of international merchandise trade fell from 53.1% in 2024 to 48.9% in 2025.

Questions answered