Canada's Carney holds firm against Trump tariffs
Canada is facing new US import penalties after Prime Minister Mark Carney refused to match US tariffs on China. Other countries are watching as the Trump trade clash turns into a fight over economic sovereignty.
Canadian Finance Minister Chrystia Carney has maintained a firm stance against President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canadian goods, despite the recent collapse of trade talks. The United States imposed a 50% tariff on $20 billion worth of Canadian products, while Ottawa agreed to match those duties on US imports. Canada's approach aimed to reduce tariffs and maintain crucial supply chains, particularly in the automotive and steel sectors.
However, US negotiators allegedly changed the terms at the last minute, forcing Canada to match US tariffs on China as well, according to Ottawa. Senior fellow Dan Ciuriak described Trump's plan as a "fortress North America," emphasizing that it is now a sovereignty issue for Ottawa. The smaller country, bearing the brunt in such situations, needs an independent trade policy, Ciuriak argued.
Despite the uncertainty and higher costs, the Canadian public largely supports the hard-line approach. A survey found that three-quarters of Canadians backed the move, with Canadians boycotting US travel and products. Canadian exports to the US account for only 5% of the $382 billion in goods, with the impact of the new US duties estimated to cost around 0.4% of GDP and 90,000 jobs.
Written by urgent.news from DW Business's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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