New Actor: Canadian Premier Urges Tough Stance Against Trump
On Aug. 20, 2026 Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew called U.S. President Donald Trump “a bad person” and said he was “not to be trusted.” He said Canada has the upper hand in the talks, urged the country to keep fighting rather than rush concessions, and told consumers to keep buying Canadian even if American products return to shelves.
Prime Minister Mark Carney pressed provincial leaders to restore U.S. alcohol sales as part of a deal; Kinew said Carney “effectively” told them there would be no agreement without that pledge and added, “I wouldn't say that he was begging us, but what is a step before begging?” Provinces control liquor rules, eight of 10 still restrict or ban U.S. alcohol, and returning U.S. liquor to Manitoba would take a few weeks to relabel in both French and English.
Federal negotiators continued talks and were described as close to a deal; tariffs on about $20 billion of Canadian imports were postponed until 12:01 a.m. Saturday. A separate development in Washington: an audio recording captured U.S. vice-president JD Vance mocking Prime Minister Carney, saying Carney “comes in and puffs his chest out and says: ‘I’m going to, like, out-tough Donald Trump.’”
Synthesized from 5 sources
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AI-synthesized from multiple reported sources
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