Customs duties: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney denounces the trade “war” launched by Donald Trump
The Canadian Prime Minister, Mark Carney, denounced, Saturday August 22, a ” war “ trade launched by the United States against his country after the entry into force of new surcharges, following the breakdown of trade negotiations between the two neighbors.
The head of government announced retaliatory measures targeting American steel or dairy products, after refusing the “bad deal” trade proposed by Washington. These measures, which will also affect the paper industry, agricultural machinery and electronics, will come into force on September 8, he said during a press conference.
Canadian surcharges will be equivalent, “to the nearest dollar”to the American customs duties which came into force on Saturday, which concern approximately 20 billion dollars (nearly 17 billion euros) of Canadian imports, including cement and hockey sticks. After weeks of negotiations, Mark Carney decided on Friday evening to end the negotiations, just before the White House ultimatum expired.
“At the last moment, the United States tried to add elements to restrict our ability to have other trade agreements”he denounced, from Ottawa. “When you are attacked, you are at war. We were attacked”he declared. “We cannot accept what they are offering and we will not give them what they are asking forinsisted the former central banker. They asked for too much and offered too little. »
“America has changed”
Mark Carney also spoke of “threats against the French language” and the “Quebec culture”emphasizing that ” This (was) not acceptable.” On Saturday morning, American negotiator Jamieson Greer said on Fox News that the United States would go “move forward with measures to respond to Canadian retaliation”without further detail. He also affirmed that no new negotiating session with Canada was on the agenda.
Since Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January 2025, Canada has been on the front line of the trade war launched by the American president, who continues to say that he wants to make his neighbor the « 51e State “ American. But the deterioration of their relations over the past year and a half has reached a new level, with the new round of American surcharges affecting in particular products normally protected by Aceum, the free trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico.
“America has changed” And “we cannot control the storm that blows from Washington”insisted Mark Carney. The Canadian government, which called for a reduction in surcharges on hard-hit sectors, such as steel, had sent signs of goodwill, asking provincial authorities to put an end to the boycott of American wines and spirits, a central demand from Washington. In vain.
Economically dependent
In Canada, all political leaders supported the government’s decision to break off negotiations. “President Trump cannot be trusted, it’s as simple as that”declared to the Canadian media Doug Ford, premier of the province of Ontario, who praised the action of Mark Carney.
The Canadian economy could nevertheless find itself hit hard by this new round of surcharges and counter-surtaxes, the United States being, by far, Canada’s largest trading partner, with exports to this country representing around 70% of the total. Mark Carney tried to reassure businesses by announcing support measures “for as long as it takes”. They should be detailed within a few days.
Since coming to power in March 2025, Mark Carney has tried to reduce his country’s dependence on its big neighbor by seeking new trading partners, in Asia or Europe. “We are stronger now than we were when the United States started this trade war. More united, more determined, more ambitious”he said.
