Less than 20% of Canadians want to give U.S. ‘concessions,’ poll finds

A recent poll reveals that fewer than one-fifth of Canadians support giving concessions to the United States in trade talks, as published on Monday. Canada and the U.S. have been engaged in trade negotiations with a deadline of just two days remaining before fresh tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump take effect on Wednesday.

Canadians are divided on how to respond to the U.S. trade aggression, with 18 percent of the 1,499 polled individuals preferring to offer concessions like ending bans on American alcohol and easing dairy restrictions to remove the tariffs, while 36 percent favor countering the tariffs with their own, and 30 percent favor continuing negotiations without any concessions.

The poll also uncovered uncertainty among Canadians about the likelihood of Trump reversing his tariff stance before the deadline, with only 10 percent believing he is likely to do so, and another 1 percent stating the tariffs would "definitely not happen." Around 40 percent of respondents expressed uncertainty about whether the tariffs would impact Canada.

A significant 70 percent of Canadians anticipate negative effects on their local economies, with 74 percent reporting that the trade war with the U.S. has already affected their household finances. Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Chief Trade Negotiator Janice Charette are in Washington, D.C., working with American officials to reach a comprehensive deal benefiting businesses, workers, farmers, and families.

However, Ottawa and Washington are not close to signing a trade deal, with officials telling Global News that a "big gap" remains between the two sides. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre recently criticized the lack of action on Canadian softwood lumber tariffs, which currently stand at near 45 percent, calling for their removal as part of any trade deal.