Poilievre slams Carney for rising tariffs and “elbows down” retreat

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is accusing Prime Minister Mark Carney of abandoning Canadian workers and businesses by caving to U.S. President Donald Trump on tariffs, despite earlier promises.

Source: Facebook

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is accusing Prime Minister Mark Carney of abandoning Canadian workers and businesses by caving to U.S. President Donald Trump on tariffs, despite earlier promises to resist.

“Carney is breaking HIS signature campaign promise of elbows up and dollar-for-dollar retaliation,” Poilievre said in a Tuesday post to X. “Carney’s response to President Trump is back down, bow down & elbows down.”

Carney, who narrowly won the April 2025 election on slogans like “Canada Strong” and “Elbows Up,” told reporters in West Kelowna this week that Canada would look for opportunities to remove tariffs to minimize pain for Canadian businesses.

During the election, Carney maintained his “Elbows Up” message despite quietly removing tariffs imposed on the United States.

Poilievre’s comments followed Trump raising tariffs on Canadian goods not compliant with CUSMA to 35 per cent on August 1.

As Trump raised tariffs on countries worldwide, Canada was saddled with the fifth-highest tariff rate on the planet.

Some have pointed to 93 per cent of Canadian exports being tariff-exempt under CUSMA; however, it may not be that simple.

Dr. Sylvain Charlebois explains that strict rules of origin, complex paperwork, and border uncertainty mean many food products labelled “exempt” on paper still face delays, penalties, or outright rejection. In practice, he said the exemption is more fiction than fact, leaving Canadian agri‑food exporters exposed to Trump’s tariffs and the unpredictability of U.S. trade politics.

Carney allegedly called Trump numerous times on July 31, right before the deadline, but the president ignored his calls.

Trump dodging Carney’s calls followed the prime minister’s decision to recognize Palestinian statehood, with Trump warning the move would make a deal “very hard.”

Poilievre said Carney’s inaction has left workers exposed.

“Our hearts are today with workers in the forestry sector. Our loggers, our mill workers, and the many towns that rely on them are obviously suffering. After 10 years of unfair tariffs on our workers—tariffs that have doubled under Mark Carney—tariffs that have been applied by three U.S. presidents over a decade of Liberal diplomatic failures.”

He contrasted Carney’s record with former prime minister Stephen Harper.

“That’s precisely why Stephen Harper was so successful at eliminating them. In just 80 days as prime minister, he even got them refunded. Yet Mark Carney has been prime minister for over 140 days, and still the tariffs are there and rising.”

The U.S. Commerce Department announced on July 28 that anti-dumping duties on Canadian softwood lumber would rise to 20.56 per cent, with combined duties potentially exceeding 30 per cent in the fall.

Poilievre called the increase “Unjust. Unfair. Unwarranted.”

The setbacks come as Canada finds itself sidelined in global trade negotiations.

The U.S. and European Union recently signed a sweeping trade deal that reduced tariffs to 15 per cent, while Canada faces rates as high as 35 per cent on non-CUSMA goods and 50 per cent on aluminum and steel.

Poilievre said Conservatives would “fight for Canada” and pursue a real deal to end the tariffs.

“Ever since Mark Carney became prime minister, there have been more tariffs and rising tariffs, contrary to Mr. Carney’s own promises. Again, contrary to his promise under Mark Carney’s leadership, it has been elbows down and tariffs up,” he said. “Conservatives will fight for Canada. We’ll put our country first. We’ve offered Prime Minister Carney to work with him in order to secure a real deal, and that offer remains open.”