Canadian counter-tariffs against U.S. kick in with no sign of trade talks resuming

In a counterpunch to U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest 50 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods, the Carney government doubled tariffs on American steel and aluminum from 25 to 50 per cent, while hitting other American products including cheese, household appliances, machinery and clothing with import taxes of 15, 25 and 50 per cent.

After initially including seafood products in the list, the federal government removed them and added copper wire and charcoal instead to maintain “dollar-for-dollar” countermeasures.

More than 600 products are being tariffed starting Tuesday in the latest round in a tit-for-tat that Trump has vowed to escalate with even more import duties on Canadian autos and steel in the new year.

It’s a threat that Prime Minister Mark Carney has said shows the White House wants to “destroy” major Canadian industries — and his government has also promised to retaliate once more.

The tariffs arrive nearly three weeks after trade talks between Canada and the U.S. collapsed, with each side accusing the other of last-minute demands and trading jabs repeatedly since.

And despite tens of thousands of jobs being put at risk and warnings about rising economic pain, there have been no public signs of a potential return to the negotiating table in the days ahead of Tuesday’s new tariffs.

Trump continued his social media attacks against Canada on the weekend, threatening to stop sales of Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier in the U.S., sharing a hockey cartoon that depicts him standing over Carney on the ice and urging him to “Get up, governor,” and posting a map that shows the American flag emblazoned over Canada, Mexico, Greenland and Central America.

Carney, who gave no public updates about the trade war over the weekend, said last week he believed there was still a “positive opportunity” for a trade deal with the United States, but that the Trump administration must respect Canadian sovereignty and adopt a more serious tone before Canada returns to the negotiating table.

In the meantime, Ottawa is planning to roll out $7.5 billion in supports for workers and businesses harmed by the intensifying trade war, while making the case ahead of critical U.S. midterm elections that Trump’s tariffs hurt Americans too.

A day later, Trump charged on social media that the prime minister has made him “the enemy” for his own political gain — an accusation several of Trump’s top officials have made since the breakdown in talks.

Carney nonetheless gave no indications that Canada might stand down on its retaliatory tariffs. That plan has widespread support across the country and from provincial governments, although some premiers have publicly disagreed over whether Western Canada’s potash and oil exports to the U.S. should be used as a bargaining chip.

Carney reiterated that Canadian negotiators are “ready to sit down” and “strike that deal when the Americans are ready.”