TORONTO - Former prime minister Stephen Harper says the federal government had “no choice” but to walk away from trade talks with the United States.
asserted
government → say → States
Delivering closing remarks at Canada’s first-ever national investment summit Tuesday, Harper said the move was necessary and that Canada needs to reduce its reliance on the United States.
“It is clear that the current U.S. administration views our level of economic integration as incompatible with our separate sovereignty.
asserted
administration → deliver → sovereignty
Thus, to maintain that sovereignty, we must pursue diminished reliance upon the United States,” he said.
asserted
he → maintain → States
“There will be significant costs to this effort, but those are costs that I hope and believe Canadians are able and prepared to accept.”
asserted
Canadians → hope → that
Harper said he sees the breakdown in trade talks as “sad” but necessary.
asserted
he → say → talks
“I believe that in this necessity, our country will also discover and is discovering opportunity,” he said.
asserted
he → believe → opportunity
A last-ditch effort to reach a new trade deal with the United States collapsed in August.
asserted
effort → reach → August
After Prime Minister Mark Carney suspended the talks and summoned his negotiators back to Ottawa, he accused the Americans of introducing unacceptable demands at the last minute.
asserted
he → suspend → minute
That decision led to new 50 per cent U.S. tariffs on billions of dollars in Canadian exports.
asserted
decision → lead → exports
Ottawa has replied with retaliatory tariffs on American products.
asserted
Ottawa → reply → products
Hundreds of executives and global asset managers were in Toronto for this week’s investment summit — part of the Carney government’s efforts to hit an ambitious goal of attracting $1 trillion in new investment over the next five years.
asserted
Hundreds → hit → years
Harper said Canada can’t let U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration hollow out its industrial capacity.
asserted
administration → say → capacity
He said Canada has come “nowhere close” to realizing its true potential and its natural resources are its “special comparative advantage.”
asserted
resources → say → potential
“Canada cannot simply blame external factors or make other excuses to explain away the difficulties that we face,” he said.
asserted
he → blame → that
“Today, more than ever, Canada must become more internally competitive, more externally connected and more truly sovereign than it has been.”
asserted
it → become → ?
In his speech, Harper congratulated the federal government on the measures it has taken to fast-track major project approvals, especially for projects in the energy sector.
asserted
it → congratulate → sector
However, more does need to be done,” he said.
asserted
he → need → ?
“The burdens and restrictions that do not exist elsewhere simply must be removed in Canada.
asserted
that → exist → Canada
“If we do not do these things as a country, the Americans will continue to be our sole customers, and they will not lack the urgency that we have lacked here in Canada.”
asserted
we → do → Canada
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre told reporters at a news conference in Vancouver Tuesday that he was happy Carney was holding an investment summit but said “where are the results?”
asserted
results → tell → summit
“We’ve had now 18 months of speeches, summits and symbolic signing ceremonies and what have Canadians got?
asserted
Canadians → have → what
The Prime Minister’s Office said Tuesday the investment summit “laid the foundation for enormous new investment and strategic partnerships, while accelerating existing negotiations – resulting in nearly $500 billion in new investment commitments to Canada.”
asserted
summit → say → Canada
It said Canada’s leading pension funds, insurers and institutional investors committed nearly $100 billion in new capital to Canadian assets.
asserted
funds → say → assets
Canada’s top banks, it said, committed nearly $325 billion in new financing for Canadian businesses and infrastructure.
asserted
it → say → businesses
Premier Scott Moe and Bell Canada CEO Mirko Bibic announced an expansion of Bell’s AI data centre project in Saskatchewan.
asserted
Moe → announce → Saskatchewan
Manitoba said it will waive the provincial sales tax on major capital spending for the Port of Churchill as it tries to attract international investment.
asserted
it → say → investment
Asked about his reaction to Harper’s involvement in the investment summit, Poilievre said “Conservatives are always willing to put Canada first.”
asserted
Conservatives → ask → Canada
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 15, 2026.
asserted
report → publish → Press
The Aporia
