Why Canada Walked Away From U.S. Trade Talks
Former prime minister Stephen Harper says Canada had no choice but to walk away from trade talks with the United States. He said it in his closing speech at Canada's first national investment summit. He said Canada needs to depend less on the United States. It is like a shop that sells almost everything to one customer. The Globe and Mail
Harper supported Prime Minister Mark Carney's decision to leave the talks. The meeting was the Canada Investment Summit. CBC News
He spoke in Toronto. He gave the closing speech on Tuesday, September 15, 2026. CP24
Harper said he admires the United States greatly. He called walking away from a trade deal a very difficult decision. Financial Post
He talked about the ongoing trade war with the United States in that speech. He spoke on the last day of the summit. BNN Bloomberg He said Canada should become a global energy superpower, a country that sells a lot of energy to the world. CTV News Harper led Canada's Conservative Party for over a decade. CBC News
The summit lasts two days. It brings together leading global investors, Canadian CEOs and public sector representatives. Its goal is to bring more investment into Canada.
The tariff fight is still going on. A tariff is a tax added at the border. The United States put a 50 per cent tax on $27.6 billion in Canadian goods starting August 22, 2026. Starting September 8, Canada will add its own reply taxes of 15, 25 and 50 per cent on products linked to those covered by U.S. Section 338 measures. Department of Finance Trade in goods between Canada and the United States fell in 2025 because of U.S. tariffs and uncertainty about trade rules. Canada has answered with reply taxes, help for industry, and trade talks.
The broader context here is political cover. A former Conservative prime minister is supporting a Liberal prime minister's decision. That leaves less room for party attacks on the decision itself. It moves the debate in Ottawa to tactics and how to help at home. That matters in a minority Parliament, where the government does not hold most seats and needs help to pass laws. It also matters for provincial premiers, who must help affected workers and firms.
Looking at what this means for investment, the setting counts. Closing an investor meeting with a message about U.S. dependence and energy links the trade break to the plan to attract money at home. For files shared between governments, the test will be permits, grids, pipelines and ports. Those are shared jurisdictions, where Ottawa and the provinces both have a say. Ottawa can bring investors together. It cannot deliver projects alone.
