US President Donald Trump has announced a 50 per cent tariff on multiple goods from Canada, citing “discriminatory treatment of US commerce” as economic tensions boil between the two nations.
A statement from the White House on Monday said Trump was “levelling the playing field” for crucial American exports including cars, alcohol, and dairy, risking a renewed trade war with the United States’ second-top trading partner.
“President Trump is taking action to hold Canada accountable for its continued discrimination against and unreasonable and unequal treatment of US commerce that has burdened and disadvantaged hardworking Americans,” the statement reads.
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Other products to be hit with tariffs range from wine to hockey sticks to cement.
The White House confirmed the tariffs would not apply to things such as energy, potash and certain other goods, such as fish or critical minerals, however they will apply to a range of products previously allowed into the US tariff-free under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement.
The US Tariff Act gives Trump the power to impose a maximum tariff of 50 per cent on imports from countries that are deemed to discriminate against US industry.
The new rate is set to take effect in 30 days.
Trump blames Canada for wildfire smoke
The tariff announcement comes only days after Trump blamed Canada for wildfire smoke spreading across the US, saying he would add the “incalculable cost” of dealing with the pollution to existing tariffs on Canadian goods.
Heavy smoke from hundreds of Canadian fires enveloped a swathe of the US from the midwest to the northeast on Thursday and Friday, prompting warnings to residents to stay indoors.
Trump, who has a combative relationship with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, said he would be calling the leader to find out what he planned to do about the “totally unacceptable” situation.
“We are holding Canada responsible for the fact that they are not properly maintaining their Forests … and the United States is being unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air,” he said in a Truth Social post.
“This is Willful Negligence, and becoming a yearly occurrence, costing the United States Billions of Dollars, which cost of this pollution must of necessity be added to the TARIFFS Canada is currently paying.”
– With Reuters
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