Mark Carney’s strategy for the last several months has been simple: Avoid meaningful discussions with the Americans and wait for the midterm elections. The hope is that Democrats retake the House of Representatives, perhaps even the Senate, weaken U.S. President Donald Trump and deliver Canada a better deal.

That’s always been a foolish strategy and Trump showed why on Monday.

LILLEY: Donald Trump’s tariff ultimatum leaves Mark Carney out of time Back to video

His plan to impose 50% tariffs on a range of goods, from hockey sticks to honey and flowers to whisky, has given us a deadline. The Americans want Canada to come to the table with solutions by Aug. 19 or face tariffs on $28 billion worth of exports.

“Sometimes you have to take trade action to incentivize those actions and sometimes you take an action that leads to a better negotiation. In the end, we will see where it leads,” U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told........

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