Trump: “Very close to a trade deal with Canada” ... Carney also says “constructive talks”

[Financial News] U.S. President Donald Trump said he was “very close to a deal” in trade negotiations with Canada.
On the 1st, local time, President Trump said, “We have outlined a very good deal with Canada,” making the comment. He said, “I spoke with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney yesterday,” and stressed, “If a deal is reached, it will be great for our farmers and our country, and it will be fine for Canada, too.”
Carney had earlier also said, while confirming that he had spoken with President Trump, that “the two countries have recently continued constructive discussions on the outline of a trade deal.” He explained, “This is a continuation of recent negotiations in which we have discussed the outline of a mutually beneficial trade deal to create jobs, ease the cost-of-living burden, and protect Canada’s language, culture and sovereignty.” He added, “The negotiating teams from both countries will work over the coming weeks to achieve these outcomes.”
President Trump also explained that “the negotiations include the Keystone XL pipeline construction project to transport Canadian crude oil to the United States,” adding that “the Canadian side will cover the construction costs.” The Canadian prime minister’s office, however, did not immediately comment. The project was halted in 2021 after the Biden administration revoked its cross-border permit, citing environmental concerns, among other reasons.
Until recently, the United States and Canada had continued their trade dispute for months, imposing tariffs worth tens of billions of dollars on each other. Against this backdrop, University of Toronto historian Robert Bothwell likened the mood in relations between the two countries to “weather where the sun comes out briefly, then it rains again,” and cautioned that “we should not be overly optimistic about progress in the negotiations.”
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