US and Canada hold last-minute talks to stop Donald Trump’s 50% tariffs

US and Canada are in the midst of last-minute negotiations to prevent President Donald Trump from imposing 50% tariffs on Canadian goods worth $20 billion, set to take effect at midnight Wednesday. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has repeatedly emphasized the intense and delicate nature of the negotiations, which are taking place despite a history of trade disputes between the two nations.

The contentious issues include Canadian softwood lumber imports and U.S. access to Canada's dairy market. Canadian soldiers have fought alongside Americans in Afghanistan, and the two countries have remained allies and trading partners. Canada exports nearly 72% of its goods to the United States, and the 5,525-mile US-Canada border is open daily to nearly 330,000 people and $2 billion worth of trade.

Trump's unprecedented use of Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930 to impose the tariffs marks a sharp departure from the traditional cooperative relationship between the two nations. The Canadian public has become increasingly frustrated, with a petition to expel the U.S. ambassador garnering nearly 218,000 signatures since July.

American voters are also concerned about the high cost of living, which may pressure both countries to seek an off-ramp from the looming trade war.