TORONTO — Incoming Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday that his government will keep tariffs in place until Americans show respect and commit to free trade after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened historic financial devastation for Canada.
Carney, who will be sworn in as Justin Trudeau’s replacement in the coming days, said Trump’s latest tariffs are an attack on Canadian workers, families, and businesses.
“My government will ensure our response has maximum impact in the U.S. and minimal impact here in Canada, while supporting the workers impacted,” Carney said.
He added: “My government will keep our tariffs on until the Americans show us respect and make credible, reliable commitments to free and fair trade.”
Trump said Tuesday that he will double his planned tariffs on steel and aluminum from 25% to 50% for Canada, escalating a trade war with the United States’ northern neighbor and showing an indifference to recent stock market turmoil and rising recession risks.
Trump said on social media that the increase of the tariffs set to take effect on Wednesday is a response to the price increases that the provincial government of Ontario put on electricity sold to the United States.
The U.S. president condemned the use of electricity “as a bargaining chip and threat,” saying in a separate social media post on Tuesday that Canada “will pay a financial price for this so big that it will be read about in History Books for many years to come!”
Trump continued to call for Canada to become part of the United States as a solution, words that have infuriated Canadians.
“The only thing that makes sense is for Canada to become our cherished Fifty First State,” Trump posted on Tuesday. “This would make all Tariffs, and everything else, totally disappear.”
Canadian officials are planning retaliatory tariffs in response to Trump’s specific steel and aluminum tariffs and they are expected to be announced Wednesday.
Carney is referring to Canada’s initial $30 billion Canadian (U.S.$21 billion) worth of retaliatory tariffs that have been applied on items like American orange juice, peanut butter, coffee, appliances, footwear, cosmetics, motorcycles and certain pulp and paper products.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, after responding to Trump by raising electricity prices, said Tuesday on MSNBC that the U.S. people and its business leaders needed to speak up against the “chaos” caused by Trump’s launching of a trade war.
“If we go into a recession it’s self made by one person. It’s called President Trump’s recession,” Ford said. “It shouldn’t be this way. We should be booming, both countries.”
Opposition federal Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said the tariffs are “yet another betrayal by the President of the long friendship between Canada and the United States” and called for retaliatory tariffs.
“If President Trump is applying 50 percent tariffs on our steel and aluminum then Canada must hit back with 50 percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imported from the United States,” Poilievre said in a statement.
“Our message to the US administration must be clear, do not mistake our kindness for weakness, we are a strong, proud and sovereign country and we will fight back against these attacks against our economy and our workers.”
