Key Takeaways

  • Canada says it will not apologize for defending Canadian workers, businesses and the economy.
  • Ottawa remains open to a deal if it protects Canadian sovereignty and economic interests.
  • New U.S. import restrictions and Canadian countermeasures have increased pressure in the trade dispute.

Canada Responds After Trump Predicts an Apology

Donald Trump said Canada would eventually return to Washington and say, “Sir, we are sorry.”

Canada’s answer: don’t count on it.

Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said Tuesday that Ottawa is not preparing to apologize for defending Canadian workers, businesses and the broader economy as the trade fight with the United States continues.

Trump made the remark on September 28 while discussing how he believes the dispute will ultimately end.

“They’re going to come in, and they’re going to say, sir, we are sorry,” Trump said, before adding that he still expects a trade agreement to eventually be reached.

Canada’s Response Was Very Different

When LeBlanc was asked the following day whether Canada would actually apologize, he rejected the suggestion.

“I’m not thinking that the government of Canada is going to apologize for standing up for Canadian workers, Canadian businesses, defending our economy,” LeBlanc said.

That is an important distinction.

Canada is not saying negotiations are over.

Instead, Ottawa’s position is that it remains willing to negotiate if an agreement protects Canadian sovereignty and economic interests.

LeBlanc said that if Prime Minister Mark Carney ultimately believes such a deal is possible, Canada would be prepared to have that conversation.

The Dispute Is No Longer Just About Words

The exchange comes as the economic pressure between the two countries continues to increase.

On September 29, a new U.S. ban affecting nearly US$1 billion worth of Canadian imports came into force, covering products including Canadian alcoholic beverages, certain dairy products and motorcycles.

Canada has also introduced countermeasures in response to U.S. tariffs and says its broader strategy is to protect domestic industries while reducing the country’s dependence on any single trading partner.

That means the disagreement now has two very different narratives.

Trump is presenting Canada as a country that will eventually return to Washington looking for relief.

Canada is presenting its position as something very different: it can negotiate without apologizing for resisting U.S. trade pressure.

TwikUp Analysis

The most important part of this exchange may not be the word “sorry.”

It is what each government wants the public to believe about who has leverage.

Trump’s message suggests economic pressure will eventually force Canada back to the table on Washington’s terms.

Canada’s response is designed to reject that image without closing the door to an agreement.

That creates an unusual situation: both governments are still leaving room for negotiations while publicly arguing that they are the side negotiating from strength.

For Canadians, the next real test will come if formal talks restart.

If Ottawa returns to Washington without major concessions from the United States, Trump may portray that as proof his pressure worked.

If Canada secures changes while maintaining its current position, Ottawa can argue that refusing to concede publicly produced a better result.

For now, one thing is clear.

Trump predicted an apology.

Canada responded that defending Canadian workers and the economy is not something it plans to apologize for.

Sources: Donald Trump public remarks, September 28, 2026 Dominic LeBlanc media availability, September 29, 2026 Government of Canada