Canadians divided over country’s bargaining power; Carney’s approval rises 11 points to 62%
CANADA’S latest rupture with the United States appears to have delivered Prime Minister Mark Carney another political boost, even as Canadians remain deeply uncertain about the country’s leverage in its escalating trade fight with Washington. New data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute finds three-in-five Canadians (62%) now approve of Carney’s performance, up 11 points […]
Black News 
CANADA’S latest rupture with the United States appears to have delivered Prime Minister Mark Carney another political boost, even as Canadians remain deeply uncertain about the country’s leverage in its escalating trade fight with Washington.
New data from the non-profit Angus Reid Institute finds three-in-five Canadians (62%) now approve of Carney’s performance, up 11 points from August and approaching his previous high-water mark. The rise comes after three-quarters of Canadians said last month that Carney was right to walk away from negotiations in the face of new U.S. demands. Despite this renewed support for the prime minister, Canadians are divided over Canada’s bargaining power. Three-in-10 (31%) say the country is in a strong negotiating position, while 34 per cent say it is weak one. One-in-five (22%) see the two countries as evenly matched.
Uncertainty over Canada’s position, however, has done little to soften public appetite for a harder line. Nearly three-quarters (73%) say Canada should refuse difficult concessions even if it means worsening trade relations with the United States – the highest level measured by ARI since the dispute began. Majorities also oppose further concessions on U.S. dairy access, while more Canadians say Ottawa should insist on the complete removal of tariffs on Canadian vehicles than would accept a deal that merely reduces them.
That resolve persists even when Canadians are asked to contemplate the economic consequences of a prolonged fight. Three-in-five say Canada should stay the course even if household costs rise by 10 or 20 per cent, while half would hold the line through a recession or the closure of local small businesses. And with the U.S. midterm elections now looming, relatively few are in a hurry to restart negotiations, feeling that Canada may have a stronger position if Trump is weakened by the results. One-quarter (26%) say Canada should return to the table right away, while a plurality (41%) would wait until after Americans vote in November. One-in-eight (13%) would wait until Trump is (presumably) gone after the 2028 election.
