Mark Carney, the newly appointed Prime Minister of Canada, has issued a bold declaration aimed at President Donald Trump in light of recent tariff disputes between the two nations.
Since President Trump assumed office again in January, relations between the neighboring countries have deteriorated significantly.
In a move last month, Trump revealed his intention to impose a 25 percent tax on imported vehicles and vehicle components covered by the ‘United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement’, declaring: “This is permanent.”
Additionally, during the same period, the President enforced a 25 percent tariff on Canadian products, along with an existing 25 percent duty on steel and aluminum imports.
Responding to the automobile tax, The Canadian Chamber of Commerce expressed in a statement: “The consequences of today’s escalation in this destructive tariff war will not be contained to Canada, as much as the U.S. administration would like to pretend.”
“Throwing away tens of thousands of jobs on both sides of the border will mean giving up North America’s auto leadership role, instead encouraging companies to build and hire anywhere else but here. This tax hike puts plants and workers at risk for generations, if not forever.”
In retaliation, Canada introduced $20.7 billion ($29.8 billion CAD) tariffs on US goods, effective from March 13.
Canada is resolute in its stance, as Prime Minister Carney asserted confidently on Saturday (April 5) that ‘we will win’ the trade battle against the US.
He remarked: “In this trade war, like in hockey and soccer, we will win. We didn’t ask for this fight, but Canadians are always ready when someone drops the gloves.”
Carney has previously acknowledged that Canada’s longstanding relationship with the US has changed significantly.
“The president of the US is trying to fundamentally restructure his economy, it means our economy and it means the global economy as well,” Carney had previously stated.
“I understand and respect his goal to support American workers, but I disagree with him that this is how to help them.
“I reject any attempts to weaken Canada, to wear us down, to break us so that America can own us, that will never happen.
“Our response to these latest tariffs is to fight, is to protect and to build.
“We will fight the US tariffs with retaliatory trade actions of our own, that will have maximum impact in the United States and minimum impact here in Canada.”
Carney emphasized that Canada will not consider lifting these tariffs until the US demonstrates the proper respect.
Canada is not alone in countering Trump’s tariffs. After his ‘Liberation Day’ declaration on April 2, China also retaliated against his 54 percent tariff by raising their US tariff to 34 percent.