Canada will defend its workers, businesses: PM Carney responds to Trump's tariff threat

Ottawa, July 11 (IANS) Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday reaffirmed his government’s commitment to defend the country’s workers and businesses in face of the US President Donald Trumps’ proposed 35 per cent tariff on Canadian imports, set to take effect on August 1.

The remarks came after Trump announced that a 35 per cent tariff will be placed on all imports from Canada beginning August 1, citing what he described as Canada's failure to curb the flow of fentanyl into the United States sufficiently.

“Throughout the current trade negotiations with the United States, the Canadian government has steadfastly defended our workers and businesses. We will continue to do so as we work towards the revised deadline of August 1,” Carney said in a post on X.

The Prime Minister emphasised that Canada has made vital progress to stop the scourge of fentanyl in North America, an issue cited by Trump as justification for the imposition of tariffs.

“We are committed to continuing to work with the United States to save lives and protect communities in both our countries. We are building Canada strong. The federal government, provinces and territories are making significant progress in building one Canadian economy. We are poised to build a series of major new projects in the national interest. We are strengthening our trading partnerships throughout the world,” Carney added.

In a letter addressed to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and shared via his social media platform, Trump said the tariff could increase further if Canada responds with retaliatory measures.

He also left the door open for negotiation, stating, “If Canada works with me to stop the flow of fentanyl, we will, perhaps, consider an adjustment to this letter.” He added that the tariffs could be revised upward or downward depending on the evolving relationship between the two countries.

Trump has broadened his trade war in recent days, setting new tariffs on a number of countries. In addition to Canada, Trump has recently imposed new tariffs on Japan and South Korea, and announced a 50 per cent tariff on imported copper.

In a separate interview with NBC News published Thursday, Trump suggested more countries could soon face blanket tariffs ranging from 15 to 20 per cent, depending on their trade practices and cooperation on security-related matters.

The United States had previously levied a 25 per cent tariff on various Canadian goods, though many items were later exempted under the terms of the 2020 United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). It remains unclear whether those exemptions will remain in effect when the new tariffs begin.

--IANS

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