Canada retaliates against Donald Trump, announces tariffs: 'Need to fight nonsense'
Canadian finance minister Dominic LeBlanc said the retaliatory measures will target US steel and aluminium products as well as consumer items.
Canada on Wednesday announced new 25% counter-tariffs on about C$30 billion ($20.8 billion) of US-made items after the Donald Trump administration implemented global levies on imports of steel and aluminium.
Canadian finance minister Dominic LeBlanc said the retaliatory measures will target US steel and aluminium products as well as consumer items such as computers and sporting goods. The new levies match the US tariffs “dollar for dollar” and will take effect at 12:01 a.m. New York time on Thursday, reported Bloomberg.
Melanie Joly, Canada’s foreign minister, said the US tariffs are “unjustified and unjustifiable". She said she would raise the matter with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Group of Seven foreign ministers meeting, which Canada is hosting.
"We need to fight back against this nonsense," Joly added.
Earlier this month, the Canadian government imposed tariffs on C$30 billion of US products in response to Donald Trump’s move to place 25% tariffs on many Canadian goods.
Dominic Leblanc says Canada won't stand idly if unfairly targeted
"We will not stand idly by while our iconic steel and aluminium industries are being unfairly targeted," he told reporters, according to AFP.
On Tuesday, Donald Trump, miffed with Ontario's surcharge on electricity exports, doubled the tariffs on steel and aluminium imports to the United States.
“I have instructed my Secretary of Commerce to add an ADDITIONAL 25% Tariff, to 50%, on all STEEL and ALUMINUM COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES FROM CANADA, ONE OF THE HIGHEST TARIFFING NATIONS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD,” Trump posted on his Truth Social platform.
He also threatened to ruin Canada's car manufacturing industry.
"If other egregious, long-time Tariffs are not likewise dropped by Canada, I will substantially increase, on April 2nd, the Tariffs on Cars coming into the U.S. which will, essentially, permanently shut down the automobile manufacturing business in Canada," Trump warned.
