Carney rules out new trade pressure over U.S. midterms; Navarro tells Canadian lobbyists to 'get the hell out'

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Prime Minister Mark Carney told reporters at a news conference in Vancouver on Tuesday that he has no plans to apply new trade pressure on the United States as Americans prepare for midterm elections that could end Republican control of Congress. He said Canada has no intention of escalating the trade war, though he added that he never rules anything out.

"Our timing isn't dictated by any specific aspect of the U.S. calendar," Carney said. "The reality is the cost of living is very high in the United States and there's things Canada can do to help lower that cost of living."

His comments came the same day White House trade adviser Peter Navarro warned Ottawa against interfering in the midterms. Speaking at the American Growth Summit in Washington, Navarro berated Canada over its past lobbying and said any Canadians in the room intent on lobbying the U.S. government should "get the hell out of our country." He added: "The problem you have is you lobby this country, and you've been successful in the past and you think you can keep doing that. Memo to Canada: You cannot keep doing that," and warned that if Canada interfered in U.S. elections "in Maine or Michigan, you will pay even more dearly."

Asked about Navarro's remarks — and about Trump's claim Monday that Canada would come back to the table "in weeks" and apologize — Carney laughed out loud, saying: "I take note of both comments, how's that? No response to either."

Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said Ottawa was not preparing to apologize for defending Canadian workers, businesses and the economy, and confirmed that the intensive, detailed negotiations underway several weeks earlier have stopped, though officials on both sides remain in contact. Trump is expected this week to campaign in the Republican strongholds of Oklahoma, Alabama and Ohio.