US midterm results a 'victory' for Canadians hopeful of tariff relief
With Canada-US trade talks back on, Tuesday’s midterm Democratic wave puts pressure on the White House to come to a deal.
Canadian hopes for tariff relief were realized in the recent US midterm elections, which saw a Democratic sweep and a repudiation of President Donald Trump's tariffs on close trade allies, according to Ontario Premier Doug Ford. Although the new Democratic-controlled Congress is unlikely to immediately grant Canada tariff relief, the political shift could create a more favorable environment for Canada to negotiate better deals during ongoing trade talks.
The tariffs have been largely enacted through executive orders without congressional approval, and President Trump has the power to veto bills he disapproves of. Trump has also signaled openness to negotiating a trade deal with Canada, but his administration remains sensitive to the optics of the tariffs and has taken retaliatory measures against Canada.
Canada is in an ideal window to finalize a deal with the US between now and January, as new Democratic lawmakers are sworn in.
Written by urgent.news from BBC World's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
