The lesson from Canada’s collapsed trade talks with the US: negotiation may be futile

Breakdown shows Washington now prioritises its own interests over any semblance of shared economic ground

• https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/aug/23/donald-trump-lashes-out-after-us-canada-talks-devolve-into-trade-war">‘No more!!!’: Trump lashes out after US-Canada talks devolve into trade war

The calamitous collapse of trade negotiations between Canada and the United States is a warning to nations worldwide that pursuing any kind of dialogue with the current US administration is doomed at the outset, according to observers who say this recent episode indicates seeking a fair deal is futile.

Andrea Lawlor, an associate professor of political science at McMaster University in Ontario, said: “No matter the closeness of the historical relationship, the American administration has signalled that it now prioritises its interests above those of some sort of global economic coordination or harmony.