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Canada’s counter-tariffs against the U.S. are set to take effect Tuesday in response to President Donald Trump’s 50 per cent tariffs, even as the president continues to ramp up his anti-Canadian rhetoric.
Hundreds of goods are set to be hit with counter-duties, roughly equal to the value of Canadian goods that fall under the scope of Trump’s own tariffs.
This was done to ensure that “Canada will match the quantum of U.S. Section 338 tariffs dollar-for-dollar,” senior government officials said when announcing the list.
Last week, more goods were added after American seafood was taken off the list, which Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said was a decision made “in Canada’s best interests.”
Colin Mang, an assistant economics professor at McMaster University, said the list this time around is smaller than the previous list of Canadian counter-tariffs.
“There are fewer consumer goods on it, so for the typical Canadian family most people will not notice any change,” Mang said.
He said people might notice prices rise in such areas as clothing, lipstick or one-time purchase goods like washing machines from the U.S., but many counter-tariffs are more on industrial materials, and wood products.
The counter-tariffs come about two weeks after the U.S. duties were brought into force. Canada was hoping to avoid those tariffs through a trade deal, but talks fell apart at the last minute, with Prime Minister Mark Carney pulling his negotiators out of Washington.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has been critical of Trump’s actions on tariffs and his “trolling” of Canada, but he still urged Carney in a news conference Monday to be transparent about the counter-tariffs.
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“Every single mother, small business owner and seniors should know what they will pay in these new counter-tariffs to make sure that the people who are not to blame for this … they should not be the ones to pay for it,” Poilievre said.
He also once again called for Carney to put forward the details of the deal that Canada walked away from last month.
In addition to providing details on counter-tariffs and the rejected trade deal, Poilievre also called on the federal government to put forward an economic action plan. He said that includes getting rid of the industrial carbon price, scrapping the ban on pipelines, and shipping oil from the West Coast.
“We cannot control President Trump’s tweets, tariffs or trolling, we can only control what we do here at home,” he said.
On Sunday, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Lara Trump on Fox News that Canada’s counter-tariffs would have a “negligible” effect on the U.S., comparing its northern neighbour to a “little yippy dog.”
“This little yippy dog used to bark away, and for a long time, a 110-pound German shepherd was ignoring the dachshund and then one day she had enough,” Bessent said. “They were given the opportunity for a great trade deal and didn’t want it.
“I would like someone to show me the statistical significance of the Canadian tariffs on U.S. prices.”
NDP Leader Avi Lewis, who has supported implementing counter-tariffs, told Global News on Monday that Canada needs to use “the leverage that we have.”
He said this should include putting energy, critical minerals, potash and other products the U.S. needs as leverage.
“Whether that’s tariffs, whether that’s export taxes … or whether it’s just the threat of it, we’ve got to use the leverage that we have,” Lewis said.
Should the U.S. further retaliate, Lewis said a “tit-for-tat” trade war is difficult, but said it shows the need for Canada to build an economy more independent from its southern neighbour.
Trump threatens Bombardier
In recent days, Trump has issued more economic and trolling posts on his TruthSocial platform.
On Sunday, the president criticized what he called an “unacceptable” imbalance between the two countries’ currencies.
“Canada’s Dollar imbalance with the U.S. is unacceptable,” he said in the post. “It has been that way for years – but no longer!”
Bombardier was also targeted Monday, with Trump saying its products “aren’t good enough.”
“NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES,” Trump wrote.
Trump then claimed Bombardier “live off” American buyers, companies, airports and service, while “Canada blocks our GREAT” American banks and companies.
He went on to say if the company wants the U.S. market, it must build in the U.S.
“Bombardier is a source of pride for Quebec, a flagship of our economy, and a major player in our aerospace industry. Behind this company are thousands of Quebec workers who showcase our expertise around the world,” Quebec Premier Christine Frechette wrote in French on social media.
“I have reached out to Éric Martel, CEO of Bombardier, to offer him our full support.”
—with files from The Canadian Press
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