Canada hits back with retaliatory tariffs after rejecting ‘bad deal’ with US

Ottawa, Aug 23 — Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled retaliatory tariffs against the United States today, following the collapse of trade negotiations in Washington and a perceived "bad deal." The new 50-percent tariffs on US goods, amounting to about US$20 billion or 5.5 percent of Canadian exports to the US, will come into effect on September 8.

These tariffs will primarily target US steel and dairy industries. Prime Minister Carney described the breakdown of talks as Canada being "attacked," and emphasized that the US conditions were "uneconomic, unfair, and undermined the net benefits for Canada." US President Donald Trump had claimed there was a "good relationship" with Carney, yet the prime minister rejected his latest terms as unacceptable.

US Trade Representative Jaime Greer stated that Washington was "moving forward" with retaliatory measures upon learning of Canada's decision. Canada's move comes after years of grievances over Trump's tariffs on autos, steel, and aluminium, which have caused economic hardship and job losses in Canada. The trade war has been met with criticism from Democratic lawmakers and border state governors who blame Trump for instigating chaos.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford warned that Canada cannot rely on the US, calling Trump "the type of person who would steal your lunch money."