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File photo -- Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre participates in a media availability outside West Block on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, on Wednesday, April 29, 2026.
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang TORONTO -- Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says Prime Minister Mark Carney should tell Canadians what leverage the country has over the United States in coming trade negotiations. In an interview with on Friday, Carney rejected the characterization of energy and critical minerals as"leverage" in negotiations to renew the Canada-United States-Mexico trade agreement.
But Poilievre says Carney should lay out exactly what leverage Ottawa has and what demands the prime minister will make, as Canada seeks to secure an end to tariffs and a renewal of the trade deal. Carney says he simply views these sectors as future trade opportunities with the United States -- or with other trading partners.
Earlier in the week, United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer warned a group of Canadian politicians that Ottawa shouldn't try to use energy as leverage in the trade talks. Natural Resources Minister Tim Hodgson said about a week ago that Canada's energy and natural resources are"Canada's strongest cards" in renegotiating the trade deal. -- With files from Kyle Duggan in Ottawa and Kathryn Mannie in TorontoEvery Saturday, Peter Mansbridge provides thoughtful takes on this week's news stories. Subscribe for FREE! You can unsubscribe any time.
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