WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump’s deliberate 25 per cent tariffs on metal and aluminum imports could be stacked on prime of different levies on Canadian items, says a White Home official who confirmed the plan Tuesday on background.
WASHINGTON — U.S. President Donald Trump’s deliberate 25 per cent tariffs on metal and aluminum imports could be stacked on prime of different levies on Canadian items, says a White Home official who confirmed the plan Tuesday on background.
The information comes as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau cautioned U.S. Vice-President JD Vance in opposition to Trump’s promised metal and aluminum levies, whereas Canadian premiers picked up the Staff Canada mantle in Washington to push in opposition to Trump’s tariff threats.
Trudeau and Vance are in Paris for a worldwide summit on synthetic intelligence. A senior authorities official mentioned Trudeau spoke with the vice-president concerning the influence metal tariffs would have in Ohio, which Vance represented beforehand within the U.S. Senate.
The president signed government orders Monday to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all metal and aluminum imports into america, together with Canadian merchandise, beginning March 12.
Trump beforehand threatened 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs on Canadian imports, with a decrease 10 per cent levy on Canadian power, and says these tariffs might nonetheless proceed in early March.
Trudeau known as the tariffs “unacceptable” Tuesday and mentioned he was working with worldwide companions to ship a “agency and clear” response.
Tuesday’s information from a White Home official that these two courses of tariff would stack on prime of one another would imply a complete 50 per cent tariff on Canadian metal and aluminum, if these deliberate measures proceed.
On Monday, federal Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc spoke with Trump’s newly confirmed Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The “dialog targeted on our widespread goal — constructing a robust North American financial system that advantages residents and industries on each side of our shared border,” LeBlanc mentioned in a social media submit.
Monday’s tariff risk marks one other improvement in Trump’s bigger plans to reshape world commerce and American international coverage by means of tariffs.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford appealed on to American enterprise leaders in america capital Tuesday, asking them to achieve out to Republican lawmakers and the president himself on Canada’s behalf.
“Let’s stick collectively and please get the message to President Trump — this isn’t a good suggestion for each international locations,” Ford informed members of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
This diplomatic push by the Council of the Federation, which incorporates all 13 provincial and territorial premiers, was deliberate initially as a stand in opposition to Trump’s unique risk of total tariffs on Canadian imports.
Trump additionally moved to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all Mexican imports on the identical time, however he delayed these levies for each international locations till at the very least March 4 in response to frame safety commitments made individually by Canada and Mexico.
Ford mentioned he was dissatisfied by the newest duties. Whereas premiers will likely be speaking with the federal authorities about retaliatory measures, Ford mentioned it is the very last thing anybody needs.
Ford, who initially recommended slicing off power flows to the U.S., is as an alternative leaning into his “Fortress Am-Can” proposal to deepen the useful resource alliance between the 2 international locations in an effort to push again on the geopolitical affect of China.
Ford was set to fulfill with key Republicans Lisa McClain — chair of the Home Republican Convention — Rep. Rob Wittman and Sen. Kevin Cramer later Tuesday.
British Columbia Premier David Eby, who can be within the U.S. capital, has mentioned Canadians are “approach too reliant on the selections of 1 particular person within the White Home.” He mentioned it is important to achieve out to Republicans.
Regardless of months of diplomacy from all ranges of Canada’s authorities, it stays unclear what Trump needs from America’s northern neighbour. His preliminary tariff threats had been linked to frame safety and fentanyl, however he has since widened his complaints to incorporate defence spending and commerce deficits.
Trump mentioned Sunday that he was critical about making Canada the 51st state.
Tariffs seem inevitable, mentioned Eric Miller, president of Rideau Potomac Technique Group, a Washington-based cross-border consultancy targeted on commerce.
“I am undecided a lot can change Donald Trump’s thoughts at this level,” Miller mentioned.
Trump may waver when the inventory market is affected and costs for merchandise and power rise, Miller mentioned. It means there will likely be ache for Canada, he added, however the premiers’ efforts to attraction to Republicans in Washington might blunt the influence.
“It is a case the place, sadly, President Trump has to the touch the new range earlier than he realizes how helpful and built-in this relationship is,” Miller mentioned.
Ford mentioned he believes Trump’s tariff sabre-rattling is in the end a negotiating tactic forward of a compulsory evaluation of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Settlement. The trilateral pact was negotiated to exchange the North American Free Commerce Settlement underneath the primary Trump administration.
Throughout negotiations in 2018, Trump floated the thought of a 25 per cent tariff on the Canadian auto sector nevertheless it was by no means carried out. However he did use his nationwide safety powers to impose a 25 per cent tariff on metal and a ten per cent tariff on aluminum imports.
Practically a 12 months later, Canada and Mexico had been capable of negotiate exemptions, which Trump eliminated in his Monday government orders.
When the commerce pact went into impact in 2020, Trump described it because the “finest settlement we’ve ever made.”
However Ford mentioned it is now unlikely the president needs to attend for the 2026 evaluation and Canada must be open to getting “a deal.”
“The one factor sure proper now in each economies is uncertainty,” Ford mentioned.
— With information from Chuck Chiang in Vancouver and Anja Karadeglija in Paris
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Feb. 11, 2025.
Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press
