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Trade tensions between Canada and the United States are escalating after U.S. President Donald Trump announced new measures targeting Canadian imports.
Trump signed five executive orders Tuesday that will block imports of certain Canadian goods, including motorcycles, some dairy products and alcoholic beverages. The new restrictions are set to take effect September 29, following Canada’s implementation of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods earlier Tuesday.
The latest U.S. action comes after negotiations between Ottawa and Washington broke down last month. U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer described the measures as a response to what the Trump administration considers discriminatory treatment of American exports by Canada.
The Canadian government says it is assessing the latest measures.
Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc says he remains in contact with Greer and that Canada is prepared to work toward a more secure and mutually beneficial trading relationship that respects Canadian sovereignty.
The latest measures also go beyond tariffs. Trump has directed the U.S. General Services Administration to begin removing Canadian-origin products from government procurement schedules, further restricting Canadian companies’ access to U.S. government contracts.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has defended Canada’s retaliatory tariffs, saying there will be a cost to reducing Canada’s reliance on the United States, but arguing that the alternative would be worse.
The escalating dispute is putting further pressure on the long-standing economic relationship between the two countries, with uncertainty continuing around the future of Canada-U.S. trade.
