PM Carney: New US tariffs designed to divide Canada

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has accused the United States of using new tariffs to hurt and divide Canada, calling it a miscalculation and vowing to respond with retaliatory measures of equal value.

“The new US tariffs are designed to hurt and divide us. This is a miscalculation because Canadians will always look out for one another,” Carney said in a statement published by his office on Saturday (22/8).

Carney said Canada would respond to the latest tariff move with retaliatory tariffs taking effect on 8 September.

The measures will target a range of products, including steel, dairy products, household appliances, agricultural equipment, pulp, paper and electronics, he said.

Carney also stressed that Canada would never relinquish “exclusive access” to its critical minerals.

The Canadian leader said Ottawa had temporarily suspended trade talks with Washington after the US made demands that were unacceptable to Canada.

Meanwhile, the US accused Canada of walking away from a nearly completed deal that would have further lowered tariffs on Canadian exports to the American market.

US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said in a statement published by his office that under President Trump’s leadership, Canada had enjoyed the lowest tariffs on its exports to the US market.

However, at the last moment, Canada backed away from a nearly completed deal that would have lowered those tariffs even further.

“Although the US has offered Canada the best treatment compared to other major exporters to our market, new demands and Canada’s shifting stance on previous commitments have upset the carefully struck balance achieved in recent days,” Greer said.

Greer did not, however, provide details on the proposed deal.

The US and Canada are parties to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), which governs most trade between the three countries. The agreement took effect in 2020.