#BBCNews US President Donald Trump has imposed a 50% tariff on a wide range of goods imported from Canada, in retaliation for what he called "unequal treatment" of US cars, dairy and alcohol. Everyday consumer items like wine and hockey sticks and industrial goods such as cement are among the goods targeted. However, several key exports will be spared, such as energy, critical minerals and fish. Prime Minister Mark Carney responded by saying Canada stood ready to "intensify" trade talks with US in the coming weeks. The White House said the duties would take effect in 30 days and mark a major escalation in trade tensions between the North American neighbours.
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Canada's Prime Minister has expressed readiness to intensify trade negotiations with the U.S. after President Trump imposed new 50% tariffs on various Canadian goods, including hockey sticks and cement. The U.S. claims these measures punish Canadian discrimination against U.S. industries, further escalating a trade conflict between the two close allies and trading partners.
Canada's Prime Minister says he is ready to intensify trade talks with the U.S.
after President Trump imposed new 50 per cent tariffs on a range of Canadian goods.
The White House says the import taxes on items from hockey sticks to cement
are punishment for Canadian discrimination against key U.S. industries. It comes amid
stalled negotiations to amend the trade deal President Trump reached with Canada in his first
term. Mr. Trump already levied tariffs of 15 to 35 per cent on some major Canadian exports,
while Canada has its own counter tariffs ranging up to 25 per cent.
President Trump had threatened to impose higher tariffs last week in retribution for that massive
cloud of wildfire smoke that drifted over the U.S., which he claimed was caused by negligent
forest management on Canada's part. But there was no mention of wildfires in the tariff orders
that President Trump signed on Monday. Let's bring in our North America correspondent Peter
Bowes for more on this. Peter, thanks for being with us. Tell us a bit more about what these
tariffs are. Well, these are quite wide-ranging tariffs, which the U.S. says, the White House
says, are necessary to essentially safeguard American trade. Just to mention a few of the
items that are covered, you've already mentioned hockey sticks and wine, industrial goods,
commercial cement is amongst them. There are some Canadian exports that are not included in this
list. Energy items, potash, critical minerals and fish are excluded. But clearly, 50 per cent
on those other items, that is very significant and it really reignites the festering trade war
between the United States and Canada, which of course is one of this country's closest
allies and trading partners. And its neighbour, of course, to the North, Peter. We have now seen a
by Mark Carney, the Prime Minister. Tell us a bit more about what he has said.
Yes, I'm just looking through quite a long response that he has posted, saying that today
the United States administration announced its intention to impose a new 50 per cent tariff on
a significant number of Canadian goods. And he says that this is the latest in a series of
unilateral U.S. trade actions that began with the U.S. imposing a series of tariffs in direct
violation of the Canada-United States-Mexico agreement. That's the free trade agreement
between these three countries. And he goes on and talks about future discussions and negotiations
between the two countries over trade. He says they stand ready to intensify those discussions in the
coming weeks. He says Canada believes in the benefits of free and fair trade as evidenced,
by their new government signing more than 20 new economic and security partnerships.
So this is going to be an ongoing debate between Canada and the Trump administration.
OK, Peter Bowes, thank you very much for that reporting.
