The US-Canada tariff dispute: Letters to the Editor Aug. 28, 2026

The Issue: President Trump’s steep tariffs on Canadian imports and Canada’s threats of retaliation.President Trump risks losing control of Congress if he doesn’t have good news to announce to voters by November.That is why he wanted a Trump-style win-lose deal with Canada, not a win-win one (“Choppy waters,” Aug.

26).Unfortunately for him, the much-anticipated 51st state refused.If Canada wants to reduce Trump’s power, it must not back down.

If an agreement is reached by Nov.3 and Canada is satisfied with it, it will mean the United States has made concessions, and American voters will understand that Trump has lost this battle.Prime Minister Mark Carney must hold firm until then and not give an inch.Sylvio Le BlancMontreal, QuebecThe failure of Carney and his negotiating team to secure a deal with the United States will not only cripple Canada’s economy, but it will be the ultimate argument for Albertans to separate from the sinking ship of Canada.Alberta has no issues with the Trump administration and looks forward to growing its relationship with America, as opposed to Carney’s European Canada.Maybe Carney shouldn’t have spent the week before the negotiation deadline vacationing in Italy.Chris RobertsonStony Plain, AlbertaThe Canada-US relationship was once likened to a mouse sleeping with an elephant, which surprisingly worked well.

Then, they replaced the elephant with an old wheezing jackass with unexpected outbursts.The relationship has turned into a real stinker.Joe SchwarzPrinceton, BCI’m just curious: Doesn’t the United States get tired of always bashing Canada? Isn’t it time to say enough is enough?Remember, geography, economics and history connect us and have made us necessary allies.Canada is small in population, but that doesn’t mean we have no self-respect.

The time has come to stop bashing us.We are not for sale and will never be the 51st state.

The only way to do that would be militarily, and I’m sure America would n...