Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney is heading to Washington for his second visit this year - this time with the more modest goal of getting trade talks back on track.


Negotiations have dragged on over the summer, blowing past an August deadline set by the two leaders. But few details have been released about the discussions or the issues preventing a deal.


Canada is the only G7 country yet to reach a trade deal with Trump this year - though unlike other allies, Ottawa is not in a rush given carve-outs under the US-Canada-Mexico Free Trade Agreement.



But Tuesday's tête-à-tête comes as Trump has renewed talk of making Canada a US state, while Carney's main opposition figure has said anything short of reaching a trade deal on this trip would be considered a failure.


Canada-US Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said last week that progress is being made toward an agreement, and media reports suggest there may be some relief from the punishing US steel tariffs to come.


Insiders, however, have hinted at frustration over a lack of clarity from the White House on what a trade and security deal with Canada could look like.


If you look at all the different things that Trump is engaged in, is this right near the top? Probably not, said Colin Robertson, a former Canadian diplomat and a member of Carleton University's Expert Group on Canada-US Relations.


That's part of the reason why, I think, the prime minister is going down [to Washington], to say 'give us your attention', Mr. Robertson told the BBC.


Carney's office has billed Tuesday's meeting as a working visit focused on finding common ground on the economy and security, though no major breakthroughs are expected, White House officials told the BBC.


Face-to-face time with the president, who finds personal relationships important, could also help ease the trade stalemate, noted Jamie Tronnes, the executive director of the Washington-based Center for North American Prosperity and Security.


Trump has imposed a 35% levy on Canadian imports, but has allowed a carve-out for goods that fall under the USMCA trade pact. He has also imposed separate sector-specific levies, including 50% on metals and 25% on vehicles.



Carney has sought to reassure Canadians that a vast majority of trade with the US - 85% of it - remains duty-free thanks to the USMCA exemption.


While there is an apparent urgency for Carney to secure a deal that lowers tariffs, especially affecting critical sectors like steel and lumber, he also faces intense domestic scrutiny over his approach to Canada-US relations.