Mark Carney, pressed on Donald Trump's 'nasty' Canada quip, says he is defending workers

OTTAWA: Prime Minister Mark Carney, pressed about comments by U.S. President Donald Trump that "Canada is nasty," said on Thursday that Ottawa was standing up for ‌domestic workers ⁠and ⁠businesses.

Carney, speaking to reporters in the Quebec city ​of Saguenay, said Canadian negotiators in Washington were having detailed talks with ​their U.S. counterparts about a review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade pact. Trump said in a speech ​in Las Vegas on ⁠Wednesday that "Canada ‌is nasty," and referred to the ​country's "nasty leadership." The ​two sides are still far ⁠apart and Trump is threatening to impose more ​tariffs on Canadian imports next week ​unless Ottawa makes a number of concessions. Carney has made clear he wants an overall deal, not a partial one.

"Yes, it's a tough negotiation. You can change the adjective and ‌say 'nasty' but for Canada it's a question of Canadian jobs, it's a question of the future ⁠of Canadian enterprises," Carney said when asked about Trump's remarks. Relations between Canada and the U.S. have been fraught since Trump returned to the White House last year, slapping broad tariffs on the northern neighbor and calling for it to become the 51st U.S. state.