Politics · Canada · 4 hrs ago
Canada says U.S. midterm results will not change trade strategy
Canada’s trade strategy will not change after the U.S. midterm elections, Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said on Wednesday.
Democrats won control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, but the current Congress stays in office until January.
Canada is still negotiating with President Donald Trump and his cabinet, who remain in power.
Ottawa plans to keep working with the current U.S. government while protecting Canadian economic interests.
Canada is also seeking to diversify its trade partners after trade talks with Washington broke down in August and tariffs widened.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said the two sides have made some progress, but a deal has not been reached and autos remain a key sticking point.
The new U.S. lawmakers take office in January, and Ontario plans to send ministers to Washington to build relationships with them.
Canada says the U.S. midterm election results will not change its focus on trade talks or plans to diversify its trading relationships.
Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said Canada would keep working with U.S. representatives currently in office until the new Congress takes over in January.
The Democrats won control of both the House and Senate in a major setback for President Donald Trump’s Republicans.
Canada and the United States remain in a trade war and have not reached a new trade agreement.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has said trade negotiations with the United States have become more intense, while Canada continues efforts to reduce its economic reliance on the U.S.
- Who
- The Canadian government, including Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc, set out its position.
- What
- Canada said the midterm results would not change its trade focus or plans to diversify trade relationships.
- When
- Wednesday, November 4, 2026, after the U.S. midterm elections on Tuesday.
- Where
- The elections were in the United States; LeBlanc spoke to reporters on Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
- Why
- Canada says it will focus on what it can control, defend its economic interests and diversify its trading relationships.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Trade talks between Ottawa and Washington broke down, leading to broader tariffs on Canadian goods.
Carney and Trump spoke by phone, and Carney said more intense trade negotiations had begun.
Democrats won control of both the U.S. House of Representatives and Senate.
LeBlanc said Canada’s focus had not changed and that it would continue working with current U.S. representatives until January.
- Election result
- Democrats won control of the House and Senate
- Trade minister
- Dominic LeBlanc
- New Congress
- Expected to take office in January
- Canadian counter-tariffs
- 15 to 50 per cent on approximately $27.6 billion worth of U.S. imports
- Diversification efforts
- Recent Canadian trips to China and India; associate membership with the European Union
10 sources
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What people are saying
Our focus hasn’t changed. Yesterday we went to work on issues of affordability for Canadians, on building major projects, on strengthening the Canadian economy, on diversifying our trade relationships
Our job is to focus on what we can control, and that's to work with the people that Americans have elected.
The results yesterday demonstrate that Americans hate tariffs.
Let’s be under no illusion that this trade war is done. It’s not done.
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