WASHINGTON – U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order pushing tariffs on Canada to 35 per cent beginning on Friday.
The White House confirmed the tariffs would not hit goods compliant with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade, commonly known as CUSMA.
A fact sheet from the White House says Canada “failed to cooperate in curbing the ongoing flood of fentanyl” and also pointed to Ottawa’s implementation of retaliatory tarrifs.
U.S. government data shows a miniscule amount of fentanyl is seized at the border with Canada compared to Mexico.
Canadian officials had been tempering expectations that a trade deal would materialize ahead of Trump’s deadline and Prime Minister Mark Carney has said he’ll only make an agreement that is good for Canada.
Trump said earlier Thursday he hadn’t talked to Canada.
