Update: 6:28 p.m. Monday
There will be no tariffs against Canada, for now.
This after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that the 25 per cent tariffs that were slated to be levied against this country on Tuesday would be put on hold for another 30 days.
The news comes after what’s being reported as a “good” call between U.S President Donald Trump and Trudeau on Monday afternoon.
The threat of tariffs against Canada was initially brought forward by President Trump for a rotating number of reasons; including what he claims is a deluge of fentanyl crossing the border into the United States.
Trump also backed down with his threats against Tariffs in Mexico on Monday, after the president of that country agreed to tighten up border security between the two nations.
***With files from Michael Lumsden
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Update: 9:38 p.m. Saturday
U.S. president Donald Trump delivered on his threats to launch a trade war on Canada Saturday.Trump dropped a blanket 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods entering the U.S. – with some exceptions – to be in place by Tuesday.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded late Saturday night with mirror-image tariffs against U.S. goods crossing the border, saying Canada will impose a 25 per cent tariff on $155 billion of goods.
Trump earlier threatened a phase-two approach that could move the 25 per cent number up if Canada retaliated.
Trump’s administration said the move was partly engineered to punish Canada for the “flow of fentanyl” into the U.S. even though there were just 82 fentanyl seizure events at northern border crossings logged in 2024.
Trump suggested energy imports would see a 10 per cent tariff, despite his country’s demonstrated reliance on Canadian oil and gas.
Trump confirmed the tariffs on X, saying in a post on Saturday afternoon they were launched through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act.
Trump had been touting false rhetoric around “unfair” trade practices through his re-election campaign, suggesting Canada has been “ripping off” the United States. He has falsely claimed a trade deficit as high as $200 billion, despite 2024 figures from the U.S. Census Bureau showing a deficit closer to $55 billion.
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Update:
Ontario Premier Doug Ford posted his official response on X at 5:50 p.m. EST saying: “I’m making the case directly to U.S. audiences that President Trump’s tariffs on Canada will only hurt America and make Americans poorer.” Ford made appearances on CNN and CBS News Saturday night.
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Update:
President Trump confirmed the tariffs on X, saying in a post at 5:44 p.m. EST they were launched through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act:
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U.S. president Donald Trump delivered on his threats to launch a trade war on Canada Saturday.
Several unnamed senior officials told major North American news outlets that a blanket 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods entering the U.S. would be in place by Tuesday.
The White House did not release details or breakdowns across sectors or industries, but Canadian officials say any tariff will immediately harm the Canadian economy and will be met with retaliatory measures.
Trump’s administration said the move was partly engineered to punish Canada for the “flow of fentanyl” into the U.S. even though there were just 82 fentanyl seizure events at northern border crossings logged in 2024.
Trump suggested energy imports would see a 10 per cent tariff, despite his country’s demonstrated reliance on Canadian oil and gas.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and several ministers have promised retaliatory tariffs if Trump followed through on his threats, with an official response from the PMO expected Saturday evening. In turn, unnamed U.S. sources said the 25 per cent number would rise if Canada retaliated.
Trump had been touting false rhetoric around “unfair” trade practices through his re-election campaign, suggesting Canada has been “ripping off” the United States. He has falsely claimed a trade deficit as high as $200 billion, despite 2024 figures from the U.S. Census Bureau showing a deficit closer to $55 billion.
***With files from John White
