Canada to Hit US Back with Tariffs After Trade Talks Fail

Canada is set to retaliate against the United States with its own tariffs on US goods, escalating a trade dispute between the two North American neighbors. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Saturday that Canada would impose tariffs on several US products starting September 8, mirroring the 50% tariffs the US had earlier placed on a wide range of Canadian goods.

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Canada will match Washington's new tariffs dollar for dollar in order to protect Canadian workers, farmers, families, and businesses.

"Canada will match Washington's new tariffs dollar for dollar in order to protect Canadian workers, farmers, families, and businesses," Carney told reporters in Ottawa. He indicated that the details of these measures would be released in the coming days, with the tariffs coming into effect the Tuesday after Labor Day. The prime minister defended Canada's position, stating, "We cannot accept what they have offered, and we will not give what they have asked," after trade talks failed Friday.

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We cannot accept what they have offered, and we will not give what they have asked.

The US tariffs impact approximately $20 billion worth of Canadian exports, including wine, furniture, dairy, cement, clothing, fishing rods, and hockey equipment. Canada's retaliatory tariffs will target steel, dairy, appliances, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper, and electronics. With the US accounting for about 70% of Canadian exports, Carney described the situation as a trade "war," emphasizing Canada's resilience and plan to respond.

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You're at war when you get attacked. We got attacked.

Canadian politicians largely backed Carney's decision. Ontario Premier Doug Ford called the proposed US trade deal "a bad deal" for key sectors like auto and manufacturing. Pierre Poilievre, leader of the opposition Conservative Party, urged national unity against "unfair attacks on our jobs and businesses." In the US, Democratic lawmakers and governors criticized President Trump, with New York Governor Kathy Hochul calling it "Trump's economic policy in a nutshell" to "needlessly pick fights with our allies and raise prices here at home."

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I'm glad he didn't sign that deal because it was a bad deal. It was a bad deal for Ontario. It was a bad deal for the auto sector, the steel sector and manufacturing sector.