Can Carney hold the line in a 2026 CUSMA showdown?

Mark Carney’s success will depend on his ability to navigate U.S. trade pressures along with widening political divides at home.

Prime Minister Mark Carney speaks with U.S. President Donald Trump in the White House. Ahead of the 2026 CUSMA review, the Canada–U.S. diplomatic engagement is becoming openly transactional, focusing on national self-interest rather than historic precedent, writes Bhagwant Sandhu.Photograph courtesy of The White House

Opinion

BY BHAGWANT SANDHU

December 3, 2025

OTTAWA—With the federal budget all settled, Prime Minister Mark Carney heads into 2026 under intense pressure to resolve the trade dilemmas with the United States. Whether he can withstand Washington’s expectations and Canada’s own domestic politics remains the key que...

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