Reactions from across the business, entertainment and political worlds are pouring in after U.S. President Donald Trump announced his intent to impose 25 per cent tariffs on most Canadian imports starting Tuesday, effectively beginning a trade war with the country’s largest trading partner.
In response, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced retaliatory tariffs on everything from meat to bourbon, to tires to tracksuits. If an agreement between the two leaders can’t be found soon, the tariffs will hike up the price of everyday American imports for Canadians and hurt businesses on both sides of the border.
Here’s how business leaders, actors, comedians and other celebrities have reacted to the burgeoning trade war between Canada and the United States:
Kevin O’Leary
Speaking to Fox News on Monday morning, O’Leary praised Alberta Premier Danielle Smith for speaking directly to Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida to “plead her case” on tariff reductions (or exemptions) for Albertan energy.
“In chaos, there’s opportunity,” O’Leary said. “The biggest thing going on here is a negotiation.”
“We know it’s about fentanyl right now,” he said, referencing Trump’s tariff demand that Canada address its minor role in the U.S. toxic drug crisis. (The Canadian border is the source of less than 0.1 per cent of U.S. fentanyl seizures.)
Bob Rae
The former Ontario premier and current Canadian ambassador to the United Nations derided the tariffs in several statements on the social media platform X.
“It is not the fight we started,” Rae wrote. “But it is the fight we cannot avoid, and it is the fight we must win.”
Tobi Lutke
Lutke, who co-founded the Canadian e-commerce giant Shopify, wrote on X that he is “disappointed” that the Trump administration slapped tariffs on Canadian goods and is disappointed with the Canadian government’s retaliatory package.
“Trump believes that Canada has not held its side of the bargain, and he set terms to prove that we still work together: get the borders under control and crack down on fentanyl dens.”
Simu Liu
Liu, of “Kim’s Convenience” and “Barbie” fame, said on X that “it’s nice to see Canadians rallying and coming together to take on this dumbass tariff.”
In the past, the Marvel star hasn’t been shy of his Canadian roots, serving as a UNICEF Canada ambassador and hosting the 2023 Juno Awards.
William Shatner
The original Captain Kirk joked on X that, once the tariffs go into effect, he’s “going to have to start charging a tariff” for his posts on the platform since he’s “a product of Canada.”
The Montreal-born actor included a cheeky, grainy photo of himself with open arms, tagging his post, “#tariffTuesday.”
Bob Geldof
Speaking at Toronto’s CAA Ed Mirvish Theatre to commemorate the North American premiere of “Just For One Day” — the musical chronicling his organization of the iconic Live Aid concert in 1985 — the Irish activist and Boomtown Rats frontman called President Trump a “bloated, orange fool” who is threatening Canada “with economic warfare.”
Geldof went on to blast Trump as a “narcissistic, greedy, selfish fool” and said that he “is making a very grave mistake, indeed.”
Trevor Noah
At this year’s Grammy Awards Sunday, the South African-born comic riffed off the news of Beyoncé announcing a 22-show transatlantic tour, jokingly advising her that she may not be able to afford it given the tariffs.
“I will say, Beyoncé, there’s tariffs, we can’t afford a new tour,” Noah joked. “Maple syrup is about to be $50.”
American politicians and government officials
U.S. Vice-President JD Vance wrote on X that he is “sick of being taken advantage of” and that critics of the tariffs should “spare” him the “sob story about how Canada is our ‘best friend.’”
In Washington, Sen. Bernie Sanders called the tariffs “most likely illegal and most definitely harmful” in a statement Sunday, while a number of other senators and governors likewise expressed their opposition to the trade war.
