LeBlanc set to meet U.S. trade representative Sunday as tariff deadline looms

OTTAWA – Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer were set to meet on Sunday, days ahead of the latest tariff threat from the American president.

LeBlanc and Canada’s chief trade negotiator, Janice Charette, spent the weekend in Washington, D.C., after meetings last week. 

Talks have intensified in recent weeks since U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to impose 50 per cent tariffs on Aug. 19 that would apply to a variety of goods from cement to hockey sticks.

The Americans said the new levies were a response to provincial bans on U.S. liquor, the supply-managed dairy system and quotas on some U.S. vehicles.

A spokesperson for LeBlanc’s office said Sunday’s meeting came after days of detailed technical discussions between Charette and her counterpart. 

“The meeting will be an opportunity to take stock of the work that has been accomplished by their respective negotiating teams, and the work that still lies ahead, as we seek to reach a comprehensive deal that delivers for businesses, workers, farmers and families on both sides of the border,” said Gabriel Brunet in a statement.

The meeting was set to take place virtually because Sunday is Greer’s birthday. It marked the fifth meeting between the two since Trump’s tariff threat. 

On Friday, Greer said the talks have been constructive but insisted Canada must lift its retaliatory measures to avoid the new tariffs. 

He said the U.S. has had major trade issues with Canada for decades. 

Provinces and territories pulled American alcohol off the shelves in response to Trump’s tariffs in early 2025. Alberta and Saskatchewan have since reversed course, but the U.S. negotiators have made it clear they want the rest of the country to follow suit. 

Last week, Ontario Premier Doug Ford — who had been a staunch supporter of the alcohol ban — said he was open to selling U.S. booze again in the province if that was part of a larger deal that protects Canadian sectors already subject to tariffs. 

On Friday, LeBlanc updated the provincial and territorial trade ministers along with the prime minister’s advisory committee on Canada-U.S. economic relations about the talks. 

Quebec Economy Minister Bernard Drainville said after that meeting that the two sides appeared to be far from an agreement. 

Erin O’Toole, a member of the advisory committee, said Friday the Canadian government is preparing a response to the 50 per cent tariffs, should they come into effect on Wednesday. 

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said he thinks there’s “no reason” Prime Minister Mark Carney can’t get “a great deal on Wednesday,” adding that Carney promised to get an agreement with Trump during the last election. 

“No more concessions while getting nothing in return. We have to stand up and fight for our country,” Poilievre said at a press conference in Vancouver on Sunday. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 16, 2026.