Quebec premier says Canada–U.S. trade talks are 'far from finished' despite reported deal

According to reporting from Washington, a senior Canadian official characterized the contours of the package as a 'very good deal for Canada' while cautioning that the negotiations had not concluded. President Donald Trump has said the United States and Canada have a trade agreement, but key details have not been disclosed publicly.

The negotiations come against a backdrop of trade pressure. Washington had threatened tariffs of 50% on Canadian goods, and Canadian negotiators have been working to head off that outcome. Section 338 tariffs, the legal mechanism reportedly under discussion, have never been used before, according to one source tracking the talks.

Keystone XL back on the table

One element of the discussions is the possible revival of the Keystone XL pipeline. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney raised the project with Trump at the White House in October 2025, and Trump was receptive, according to a Canadian government official familiar with the conversation. The pipeline has a long political history: it was rejected by President Barack Obama in 2015, revived during Trump's first term, and then had its permit cancelled by President Joe Biden in 2021.

The pipeline's history illustrates why Quebec and other provinces are watching closely. Any project of that scale brings economic and environmental trade-offs that fall partly under provincial jurisdiction, and premiers have signalled they want a seat at the table before any commitments are locked in.

Why Quebec is speaking up

Beyond energy, the broader trade package touches goods movement, manufacturing supply chains, and the integrated North American market that has shaped provincial economies for decades. A 50% tariff, if imposed, would ripple through industries from steel and aluminum to agriculture and autos, sectors that employ large numbers of workers in Quebec and Ontario.

The Quebec premier's 'far from finished' remark is a way of signalling to provincial voters and business groups that nothing is final until it is final. It also gives Ottawa room to negotiate further without being portrayed as having already conceded key terms.

For Canadian officials, the challenge is to extract enough certainty from Washington — on tariff levels, on energy infrastructure, on the duration of any agreement — to present a deal that can win parliamentary and public support. The absence of published details so far has fuelled speculation in both capitals.

What comes next

Analysts say the next test will be whether the two sides can move from verbal commitments to written text, and whether Congress and the Canadian Parliament are brought into the process in a way that lends the deal durability. Until then, the language from provincial capitals like Quebec City is likely to remain deliberately measured.