--- title: "Canadian bank CEOs call trade tensions 'manageable'" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/business/canadian-bank-ceos-call-trade-tensions-manageable" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/canadian-bank-ceos-call-trade-tensions-manageable" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/business/canadian-bank-ceos-call-trade-tensions-manageable.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/canadian-bank-ceos-call-trade-tensions-manageable" category: "Business & Economy" area: "United States" published: "2026-08-25T20:45:47.882Z" source_reported: "2026-08-25T19:35:03.347Z" updated: "2026-08-25T20:45:47.882Z" trust_score: 60 critic_score: 65 hype_score: 20 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-08-25T20:30:39.558343+00:00" --- # Canadian bank CEOs call trade tensions 'manageable' *Executives from Scotiabank and BMO downplay immediate impact of U.S. tariffs while urging domestic reform.* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 60 of 100, higher is better. Two full reports and multiple digests corroborate claims about bank executives' statements on trade tensions. - Craft 65 of 100, higher is better. Reporting clearly separates bank executives' statements from analyst concerns and government actions. - Hype 20 of 100, lower is better. Headlines accurately reflect the cautious optimism expressed by bank executives regarding trade tensions. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 50 per cent tariffs on approximately $28 billion of Canadian products. - Scotiabank CEO Scott Thomson and Bank of Montreal CEO Darryl White both stated the trade situation is 'manageable'. - The Canadian federal government announced retaliatory tariffs on American goods, effective September 8. - Scotiabank reported a third-quarter profit of $2.95 billion, an increase from $2.53 billion in the previous year. Canadian bank executives have characterised the escalating trade dispute with the United States as 'manageable.' Scotiabank CEO Scott Thomson and Bank of Montreal CEO Darryl White made these statements on Tuesday, coinciding with the release of their third-quarter financial results. The remarks come after U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 50 per cent tariffs on about $28 billion worth of Canadian products. In response, the Canadian federal government announced its own retaliatory tariffs on American goods, scheduled to take effect on September 8. ## Differing views on tariff impact Scotiabank CEO Scott Thomson stated that the new U.S. tariffs directly impact less than one per cent of the bank's total loan book, according to CBC News. He described Canada's economic fundamentals as 'pretty good,' citing job growth and fiscal capacity. Thomson also suggested the situation presents an opportunity for Canada to accelerate domestic reforms, such as removing interprovincial trade barriers. Bank of Montreal CEO Darryl White echoed these sentiments, calling the situation 'absolutely manageable' and suggesting impacts are likely to be mitigated. However, American Banker noted that analysts worry the trade fight could continue to widen. ## What the coverage left out None of the left-rated digests mention the specific figure of 40 per cent of BMO's assets being allocated to the U.S. market, as reported by CBC News. None of the digests mention the specific analyst quote from Jefferies regarding Scotiabank's third quarter results. None of the digests mention the specific figures for Scotiabank's revenue or provision for credit losses for the quarter. ## Who covered it Shares of the 6 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 67% (4) - Centre: 16% (1) - Right: 17% (1) 1 of 7 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-08-25T20:30:39.558343+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 1 time; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-08-25T21:01:05.592Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left - Reports from the left-rated outlets focused on the statements by Scotiabank CEO Scott Thomson and Bank of Montreal CEO Darryl White regarding the 'manageable' nature of the trade situation. These reports highlighted Thomson's comments on Canada's 'pretty good' fundamentals and White's view that the situation is 'absolutely manageable.' The left-rated coverage also noted the imposition of U.S. tariffs and Canada's planned retaliatory measures. CBC News reported that while banks are insulated from direct tariff costs, their loan portfolios are exposed to the economic fallout. The outlet also quoted Thomson suggesting the moment could be used to accelerate the prime minister's agenda for domestic reform. ### Centre - The centre-rated report from Castanet led with Scotiabank CEO Scott Thomson's assessment that new U.S. tariffs and trade tensions are 'manageable.' It detailed Thomson's comments on Canada's strong fundamentals and his view that the situation creates uncertainty but remains manageable. The report also mentioned the federal government's announcement of retaliatory tariffs on American goods. Castanet noted Thomson's suggestion that the moment could be used to accelerate the prime minister's agenda for domestic reform and diversification of trade. The report also included details of Scotiabank's third-quarter financial results, including its profit of $2.95 billion. ### Right - The right-rated report from Financial Post highlighted that Scotiabank and Bank of Montreal CEOs described U.S. President Donald Trump's latest tariffs as 'manageable.' The digest stated that the CEOs urged Ottawa to accelerate economic change, quoting that 'There is an opportunity for the Canadian federal and provincial governments to recognize the moment for what it is and use it to drive transformational policy change.' The report also noted that the CEOs see an opportunity to drive change and that the tariffs are manageable. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - high: 5 - unknown: 1 - veryHigh: 1 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [CBC News](https://cbc.ca/news/business/tariffs-banks-trade-war-9.7319944) — What Canada's big banks are saying about Trump's trade war - [American Banker](https://americanbanker.com/news/canadian-banks-downplay-risk-from-u-s-canada-trade-fight) — Canadian banks downplay risk from U.S.-Canada trade fight - [Castanet](https://castanet.net/news/Canada/629093/New-U-S-tariffs-and-trade-tensions-are-manageable-says-Scotiabank-CEO) — New U.S. tariffs and trade tensions are 'manageable,' says Scotiabank CEO - [Rocky Mountain Outlook](https://rmoutlook.com/national-business/new-us-tariffs-and-trade-tensions-are-manageable-says-scotiabank-ceo-12702586) — New U.S. tariffs and trade tensions are 'manageable,' says Scotiabank CEO - [thealbertan.com](https://thealbertan.com/national-business/new-us-tariffs-and-trade-tensions-are-manageable-says-scotiabank-ceo-12702586) — New U.S. tariffs and trade tensions are 'manageable,' says Scotiabank CEO - [Financial Post](https://financialpost.com/fp-finance/banking/scotia-bmo-ceos-trade-war-opportunity-canada-drive-change) — Scotia, BMO CEOs say Trump's latest tariffs are manageable, urge Ottawa to accelerate economic change - [La Presse](https://lapresse.ca/affaires/entreprises/2026-08-25/banque-scotia/les-nouveaux-droits-de-douane-sont-gerables-selon-le-pdg.php) — Scotiabank: New Tariffs Are "Manageable", Says CEO ## Questions **What did the CEOs of Scotiabank and BMO say about the trade situation?** Scotiabank CEO Scott Thomson and Bank of Montreal CEO Darryl White both stated that the escalating trade tensions with the United States are 'manageable.' They made these remarks while discussing their banks' third-quarter financial results. **What action did the U.S. take regarding Canadian products?** U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 50 per cent tariffs on approximately $28 billion worth of Canadian products. This action was a significant development in the ongoing trade dispute between the two countries. **What was Canada's response to the U.S. tariffs?** The Canadian federal government announced its own set of retaliatory tariffs on American goods. These counter-tariffs are scheduled to take effect on September 8 and are intended to match the value of the U.S. tariffs. **How did Scotiabank perform financially in the third quarter?** Scotiabank reported a third-quarter profit of $2.95 billion, which is an increase from the $2.53 billion reported in the same quarter a year ago. The bank's results exceeded analyst expectations. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. 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