Canada is expected to impose on Tuesday tariffs of 15% to 50% on hundreds of products from the United States, in an escalation of the trade war between the two countries. Prime Minister Mark Carney's government will increase from 25% to 50% the import duty on various American steel products and will apply tariffs to consumer goods such as motorcycles, cosmetics, and cheeses, among other products.
Prime Minister Mark Carney believes that confronting President Donald Trump will ultimately strengthen Ottawa's position in negotiations with its largest trading partner. The country is betting on retaliation as a strategy to obtain advantages in trade talks, unless there is a last-minute suspension.
The measure will particularly affect American exporters in states like Michigan and Ohio, which maintain intense trade with Canada. These states will have closely contested races in the November legislative elections, which increases the political impact of Canadian tariffs.
The deadlock over tariff relief for trucks contributed to Canada's withdrawal from negotiations with the United States. The measure occurs on Labor Day in the United States, a date when the country celebrates the holiday differently from the rest of the world.
