Canada has announced it will impose 50% retaliatory tariffs on $20bn worth of US goods, following through on Prime Minister Mark Carney's vow to match Donald Trump's duties "dollar for dollar". This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing The Guardian.
The new tariffs will take effect from 8 September and will impose duties of 15%, 25% and 50% across 700 products, the Canadian government said in a statement. This move comes after US President Donald Trump spent the morning criticizing Canada, calling it the "most difficult and unreasonable" country he deals with.
Canada's retaliatory measures
According to the Canadian government's statement, the tariffs will apply to steel, fish, cheese, paper, and hundreds of other American goods. This is a direct response to Trump's tariffs on Canada. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had previously stated, "We're not waiting by the phone."
Trump's attacks on Canada
Trump criticized Canada in the morning, calling it the "most difficult and unreasonable" country, and suggested renaming Lake Ontario as "Lake America" amid the trade war. These statements were made just hours before Canada announced its retaliatory tariffs.
Other US events
Meanwhile, several significant events occurred in the US. The 4th Circuit US Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, blocked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) from requiring television broadcasters to offer discounted advertising rates to political parties. The court ruled 2-1 that campaign finance statutes "are clear that neither political parties nor joint fundraising committees with non-candidate members can be entitled" to the discounted rates mandated by the FCC.
Four Democratic candidates sued to block the FCC rule change: Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff, Michigan Congresswoman Kristen McDonald Rivet, former Ohio Senator Sherrod Brown, and former North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper. The FCC, the National Republican Congressional Committee, and the National Republican Senatorial Committee argued that the court lacked jurisdiction to review the FCC notice.
Supreme Court decision
Democrat Ro Khanna, a California congressman, argued that after the Supreme Court's decision on Trump's executive order restricting mail voting, the court "has completely lost its moral authority" and needs reform. He proposed expanding the court from 9 to 13 justices and imposing term limits: "18 years and you are out."
Other news
The Trump administration warned that the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts could be demolished if repairs are not carried out. In a court filing, the president's lawyers said the national arts complex in Washington DC must undergo a $250m renovation or risk facing the wrecking ball.
A US military transport plane landed in Moscow, and the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier is set to dock in Thailand after a record deployment. Trump also claimed the US has demined the Strait of Hormuz and warned Iran not to plant any more mines.
Trade war implications
These retaliatory tariffs demonstrate the escalation of the trade war between the two countries. Canada's actions are seen as a response to Trump's tariffs on steel and aluminum. Experts say the conflict will negatively impact both economies.
The Canadian government has published the full list of new tariffs, covering more than 700 products. The measures will take effect on September 8. Canada's trade minister said the decision was made "to protect Canada's economic interests."
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly called Canada the "most difficult" country and spoken of difficulties in trade negotiations. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, in turn, promised to respond "dollar for dollar."
This situation reflects growing tensions in international trade relations. Further escalation of the trade war between the two countries could also affect global markets.