By Stefan J. Bos, Chief International Correspondent Worthy News
OTTAWA (Worthy News) – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has accused U.S. President Donald J. Trump of seeking to annex his country through a “dumb trade war.”
He spoke after the United States imposed 25 percent taxes on Canadian and Mexican goods and a 10 percent levy on Canadian energy exports.
The prime minister was quick to announce retaliatory tariffs on US exports on Wednesday, adding that his country would remain defiant against the “aggression.”
“We’ve been in tough spots before … but we have not only survived, we have emerged stronger than ever, because when it comes to defending our great nation, there is no price we all aren’t willing to pay, and today is no different,” he said.
Yet, on Wednesday, Canada’s government said it would be willing to reduce its retaliation against U.S. tariffs if the Trump administration drops some of its imposed tariffs.
Negotiations between Ottawa and Washington were reportedly continuing, but no deal had yet been reached
U.S. President Trump will exempt automakers from his punishing 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico for one month “as long as they comply with existing free trade rules,” the White added on Wednesday.
51st STATE?
That was music to Trudeau’s ears, the outgoing liberal prime minister who had warned that Canada would never become the 51st state of the U.S.
“Today, the United States launched a trade war against Canada,” he said. At the same time, the Trump administration was “talking about working positively with Russia, appeasing [Russian President] Vladimir Putin, aligning with a murderous dictator.”
Trudeau also rejected Trump’s repeated taunts that Canada should cede its sovereignty and join the US: “That is never going to happen. We will never be the 51st state.”
Canada’s retaliatory response includes matching tariffs on C$155 billion (US$107 billion) worth of U.S. goods. The first tranche of taxes applies to C$30 billion worth of goods, and the remaining C$125 billion will kick in within 21 days, allowing Canadian companies to amend supply chains.
Trudeau told U.S. voters: “We don’t want to see you hurt. But your government has chosen to do this to you. As of this morning, markets are down, and inflation is set to rise dramatically all across your country. Your government has chosen to put American jobs at risk at the thousands of workplaces that succeed because of materials from Canada or because of consumers in Canada.”
He said: “Americans will lose jobs. Americans will pay more for groceries, for gas, for cars, for homes.”
Addressing Trump directly, Trudeau stressed: “Even though you’re a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do.”
FENTANYL SMUGGLING
Trump has claimed that the tariffs were a response to Canada’s failure to stop fentanyl drug smuggling into the U.S., an argument Trudeau called “completely bogus, completely unjustified, completely false.”
Although some drugs do cross the border, in both directions, little fentanyl enters the U.S. from Canada, and the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) does not even mention Canada in a report from 2020, data showed.
Trump also expressed concern about “illegal migrants” entering the U.S. from
Canada. He later raised the prospect of further escalation with a warning that any retaliatory levies by Canada would prompt further measures from the U.S.
His perceived war language prompted patriotism in Canada, uniting provincial leaders across the political spectrum.
Ontario’s premier, Doug Ford, the leader of Canada’s most economically powerful province, said his government would “make sure Americans feel pain.” Ford, who recently won re-election on a pledge to fight US taxes, says he will impose a 25 percent export tax on electricity it supplies to three U.S. states if the American tariffs on Canadian goods “persist.”
Ontario also pulled all American spirits and wines from its shelves, barred U.S. companies from bidding on procurement contracts, and tore up a deal with Elon Musk’s Starlink company.
Ford said he felt “terrible” about Canada’s response, citing his close relationship with American governors, but said the moves were necessary to send a strong message to the White House.
“The stock market will go downhill faster than the American bobsled team,” he said. “When the market drops, that’s the people speaking. Isn’t this a shame? Every country is very, very aware that if the American government is willing to do this to their own closest neighbor, ally, and friend, everyone is vulnerable to a trade war.”
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
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