Donald Trump imposed 50 percent duties on a range of Canadian goods, claiming Canada has unfairly discriminated against American alcohol, automobiles, and dairy products.
Although the U.S. president suggested the tariffs are a reciprocal gesture, Canada labeled them “unilateral.”
“This is the latest in a series of unilateral U.S. trade actions that began with the U.S. imposing a series of tariffs in direct violation of the Canada–United States–Mexico Agreement,” Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said.
He added that Canada has made proposals to resolve the disputes and is “ready to intensify those discussions.”
The U.S. measures could reinforce Carney’s gradual but increasingly visible effort to diversify Canada’s economic relationships. As part of efforts to move away from perceived American instability, the Canadian PM has been working on new defense-industrial arrangements with Europe, expanded trade engagement with China, and ongoing negotiations with Mercosur.
