This is what has changed, to me (maybe not in reality) in Prime Minister Carney's approach. This is what I meant in my initial reaction to Carney's walk-away from the talks, that it was a "human" reaction. To a gray banker, the other side's "attitude" should not matter. Do you know how many times in court I got insulted by the other lawyer, or I insulted the other lawyer? No, of course you don't know. The answer is "a lot". There are going to be personality conflicts. That should not influence you in whether the deal, or the plea offer, is objectively good, bad, acceptable. And Donald Trump is a serial winner of the Recent Assholes award. Seethe all you want about the 51st State, "artificial border", "Lake America", but don't let that influence you rationally. Do not condition a "return to the negotiating table" on Donald Fucking Trump or Howard Nutlick turning into Mr. Congeniality. Tain't gonna happen. If these assholes irritate you out of all rationality, can you not negotiate in writing? Why do negotiations have to be in person. Especially when the other side are All-Asshole.
"Change in attitude" is not a rational strategy. It's no strategy at all.
Hours after Trump’s new auto and steel tariffs Monday, the prime minister said Canada would return to the negotiating table if there’s a change in attitude from the American side.
“There is a mutually beneficial deal possible here,” he said in Lévis, Quebec.
But a path to a mutually beneficial deal is now more challenging, according to former trade officials, and it could be months before both sides are willing to reopen negotiations.
“I think the U.S. may just not be able to get back to the deal that was on the table last Friday, and that’s just something that both sides are going to have to contend with,” said a trade lobbyist, granted anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on record. “The president was still prepared to go forward with that deal, and then the Canadians rejected their best offer. I think that makes it really hard for the U.S. side.”
