U.S. Trade Tariffs: Canada, Mexico Hit Back With Decisive Counter Measures
Canada and Mexico, two of the United States of America, USA’s largest trading partners have in a swift diplomatic move, announced retaliatory measures in response to President Donald Trump’s steep taxes on imports.
The President Trump administration had said that the tariffs aimed to stop the spread and manufacturing of the opioid fentanyl, as well as pressuring America’s neighbours to limit illegal immigration to the US.
Accordingly, the two largest trading partners to the U.S. announced retaliatory tariffs on President Donald Trump’s steep tax on goods imported from the two countries.
Justin Trudeau, Prime Minister of Canada, and President Claudia Sheinbaum of Mexico in a swift and decisive move on Saturday night, announced the counter-tariffs against the U.S.
Mr Trudeau specifically said that Canada would impose 25% tariffs on $155bn Canadian dollars (£85.9bn) of US goods in response to Trump’s 25% tariffs on goods.
The tariffs included that Energy imported from Canada, including oil, natural gas and electricity, would be taxed at a rate of 10% while duties on $30bn Canadian dollars (£16.6bn) in trade in American alcohol and fruit will take effect on Tuesday when the US tariffs are set to start.
The remaining $125bn Canadian dollars (£69.3bn) will take effect in 21 days.
However, the Canadian Prime Minister, Mr Trudeau opened his speech with a passionate message aimed at American consumers, saying; “It will have real consequences for you, the American people. It would result in higher prices on groceries and other goods”.
Trudeau also channelled the views of many Canadians who felt betrayed by their neighbour and longtime ally, saying that Trump’s threat to turn Canada into part of the US represents most serious threat since War of 1812
The out-going Canadian Prime Minister pointedly reminded Americans that Canadian troops fought alongside them in Afghanistan and helped them respond to domestic crises including the wildfires in California and Hurricane Katrina.
He further said; “The actions taken by the White House split us apart instead of bringing us together”.
Trudeau also encouraged Canadians to “choose Canadian products and services rather than American ones”.
Similarly, the Mexican President, Ms Sheinbaum said in a post on X that she had ordered her economic minister to implement tariff and non-tariff measures to defend Mexico’s interests.
She said; “We categorically reject the White House’s slander that the Mexican government has alliances with criminal organisations, as well as any intention of meddling in our territory.
“If the United States government and its agencies wanted to address the serious fentanyl consumption in their country, they could fight the sale of drugs on the streets of their major cities, which they don’t do and the laundering of money that this illegal activity generates that has done so much harm to its population,” she stressed.
