Carney says Canada ready for trade talks when Trump ‘stops doing memes, throwing shade’

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has hit back at US President Donald Trump, tellinghim to stop posting memes and “throwing shade” as the Canada-US trade dispute escalates.

Asked on Tuesday whether Canada was prepared to resume negotiations with Washington, Carney said talks could restart when the US took a more serious approach.

"When the Americans stop doing memes, stop throwing shade and stop trying to be tough, and start being serious about having those discussions, we can have those discussions. It's not constructive, but that's their democracy."

His comments follow weeks of tensions after Canada-US trade negotiations collapsed last month.

Trump has since signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario as “Lake America” in the US, while senior administration officials have publicly criticised Canada.

Washington has also increased tariffs on several Canadian products, with further duties on steel, vehicles and car parts planned for January.

Canada is responding with counter-tariffs from 8 September, covering about 700 products with duties ranging from 15 to 50 percent.

Carney said Washington's proposed trade terms could leave some Canadian industries as subsidiaries of US companies or see them "gradually wound down [...] and wiped out".

The dispute comes after Carney's Liberal Party strengthened its position with three byelection victories on Monday.