Trump has singled out us Canadians for special treatment in his tariff war – there is no choice but to get nasty | Matt Gurney
📰 source: theguardian_business · 💼 business
trump announced tariffs as high as 50% on a selection of canadian products, including items previously protected by the usmca trade deal. the us declined to extend the deal for another 16-year term, making it subject to annual renegotiations. canada had been spared the worst of trump's earlier 'liberation day' tariffs, but this round targeted goods mostly from ontario, quebec, and british columbia — provinces with leaders critical of trump. alberta and saskatchewan, with their oil exports, were relatively spared.
the tariffs land amid trump's repeated talk of annexing canada as a 51st state using 'economic force'. this has reshaped canadian politics: the liberals under mark carney won a decisive election after replacing justin trudeau, capitalizing on anti-trump sentiment. carney has scrapped a planned digital tax to placate the us but faces pressure to retaliate.
canada has not yet signaled its response, but carney's political survival depends on standing up to trump. the us has legitimate gripes — canadian trade barriers and underinvestment in defence — but the nature of trump's actions makes resistance the only viable option for canadian leaders.
why it matters: trump's targeted tariffs on canada and annexation threats force canada into retaliation, risking trade war and regional tensions.
source: theguardian_business
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