U.S. tariff talks hinted by Mark Carney as potential for 'modest agreements'

In a significant development, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and U.S. President Donald Trump held a telephone discussion on Labour Day. The conversation, described as "quite lengthy and constructive," covered topics such as geopolitics, economy, and trade between Canada and the United States.

During the discussion, Prime Minister Carney hinted that certain tariffs could be lifted. However, no new information about the sectors targeted by the Trump government was provided.

Recently, the U.S. has been imposing 35% tariffs on goods since August 1. While most Canadian goods that comply with the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) are exempt from these tariffs, certain "strategic" sectors, such as steel, aluminum, automobiles, and lumber, are still being targeted.

In response to this, the Canadian strategy involves eliminating tariffs on these "strategic" sectors. No further details about the tariffs or their impact on Canadian goods were discussed in the provided paragraph.

Meanwhile, the Canadian government has announced that it no longer claims to want to conclude a global trade agreement before the CUSMA deadline next year. This decision comes after the U.S. has not had success in negotiations with Canada, according to President Trump.

In other news, an intergovernmental report confirms that over 14,000 migrants heading towards the United States have turned back.

On a sad note, the director general of Publications BLD, Isabelle Vaillancourt, has passed away. No information about the topics discussed during the cabinet retreat was provided in the paragraph. The retreat took place on Wednesday and is intended to plan the work of the next parliamentary session, which begins on September 15 in Ottawa. Up to 85% of goods still cross the border without tax.

The U.S. tariffs, scheduled to arrive next week, have raised concerns among Canadian businesses and policymakers. The Canadian government and the business community will closely monitor the situation and take necessary actions to mitigate any potential negative impacts.