Prime Minister Mark Carney has tempered expectations for a swift trade accord with the United States, telling reporters on 22 July that negotiations remain “complex” and that Ottawa will conclude a deal only if it clearly benefits Canadian businesses and workers. Asked whether an agreement could be reached before 1 August, he replied, “We’ll see,” adding that Canada is prepared to take the time necessary and will consult other trade partners in the meantime. Carney’s latest comments mark a shift from the 30-day timetable he and U.S. President Donald Trump set during the mid-June G7 summit in Kananaskis, which had pointed to a 21 July target. In appearances in Brussels and Ottawa over the past month, the prime minister has repeatedly cautioned that “nothing’s assured,” while signalling that Canada could raise existing counter-tariffs on U.S. steel and aluminium and bar U.S. suppliers from federal contracts if talks fail. While maintaining that “the right deal is possible,” Carney said Canada is also accelerating efforts to diversify trade with the European Union and other like-minded partners. No further negotiating sessions with Washington have been announced.