Ottawa-Saba:
Outgoing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced today, Sunday, that his country will impose 25% customs duties on US goods starting next Tuesday, in response to President Donald Trump's decisions to impose customs duties on Canada, Mexico and China.
Trudeau said during a press conference: "I announce tonight that Canada will respond to US trade measures by imposing 25% customs duties on US goods worth $155 billion.
This will include imposing immediate customs duties on $30 billion worth of goods starting Tuesday." “They will make it difficult for you to get supplies of vital American security goods like nickel, potash, uranium, steel and aluminum. They are violating the Free Trade Agreement,” he added, addressing the Americans.
“As part of our response, we are working with provinces and territories to consider a range of non-tariff measures, including those related to critical minerals, energy and other partnerships,” he added, explaining: “I have been trying to contact Donald Trump since his inauguration and hope to speak with him soon.”
Earlier on Sunday, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that she had directed the Minister of Economy to implement a plan for retaliatory tariffs against the United States, saying in a statement via the “X” platform: “I direct the Minister of Economy to implement the alternative plan we are working on, which includes tariff and non-tariff measures to defend Mexico’s interests.”
Trump issued an executive order on Sunday to impose 25 percent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports and 10 percent on goods from China starting Tuesday, and announced that they would remain in effect until a national emergency over fentanyl and illegal immigration to the United States ends.
Trump had previously announced plans to increase tariffs by 10 percent on goods from China and signed an executive order to impose 25 percent tariffs on all goods from Mexico and Canada.
During his first term as US president, Trump imposed new tariffs on steel and aluminum. In late 2022, another trade war loomed between America and its European partners after the United States passed an anti-inflation law that Europe described as unfair competition. In response, the European Union imposed tariffs on American goods.