Carney says he had a 'good conversation' on trade with Trump as midterms near

Canada's learning their lesson. After months of bad blood with taunts like this, a staple of US President Donald Trump's election rallies. And now we put tariffs on them. And they're treating us extremely nicely lately. Prime Minister Mark Carney and Trump both said Sunday trade negotiations will intensify in the coming weeks. The two had what Carney described in a social media post as a good conversation, driving towards a mutually beneficial trade deal that fully respects Canada's sovereignty. We're not going to conclude something for the sake of concluding it. We're not going to lock in something that's not in Canada's interest. The apparent breakthrough comes just days after Carney said he's in no rush, telling media outlet Politico he's willing to wait until Trump is out of office to resolve the dispute. Well, we'll have to if that's what it takes. Trump himself, claiming an agreement with Canada could soon be in hand. We have the concept of a deal that's going to be great for our farmers, great for our country. It'll be fine for Canada, too. Trump is in a tough midterm fight, especially in key swing states that border Canada. And here in Michigan, we know that Canada is not our enemy. Republicans in closely contested Senate elections in Maine and Michigan have been distancing themselves from the president's deeply unpopular trade war. This is the most positive language I've heard from Prime Minister Carney at all. The announcement that talks are picking up two days before Election Day. Could be a sign Carney is doing Trump something of a favor, says this political watcher. If Prime Minister Carney is setting any kind of a lifeline there, I have to think it's because there's something real on the table and he believes that's going to go through. Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, meanwhile, wants to see results, and fast. The Prime Minister promised in the last election he would get an even better deal than we had before. He's broken that promise so far. Some voters in this country will soon deliver a verdict on Carney's handling of the trade file. The Prime Minister has announced six federal by-elections will be held in early December. The Liberals are hoping to pad their majority with pickups and seats held by the opposition. And one of those votes, JP, could be a critical test for the Conservative leader, Pierre Poilievre. Yeah, Brantford, one of the Ontario ridings up for grabs, has been Conservative territory for nearly 20 years. A loss there could raise serious questions about Mr. Poilievre's future as leader. Ian? J.P. Tasker in Ottawa.