Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney reacted furiously on Wednesday to U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement of a 25% import tariff on cars and light trucks not made in the United States, labeling the move a “direct attack” on Canadian workers.
Carney, who is running for re-election in the April 28 elections, made a passionate vow to defend Canada’s workers, companies, and the country as a whole. "We will defend our workers. We’ll defend our companies. We’ll defend our country. And we’ll defend it together," Carney declared. "This will hurt us, but through this period, by being together, we will emerge stronger."
In his address, Carney emphasized that Canada had already announced retaliatory tariffs and had more options at its disposal. He revealed that he had called a meeting with Canadian officials for Thursday to discuss the nation's next steps in response to the tariffs.
Trump’s move to impose a permanent 25% tariff on imported cars and light trucks comes after previous temporary reprieves had been granted to automakers. Nearly 50% of the cars sold in the U.S. are produced domestically, with Canada and Mexico being key suppliers, due to their deeply integrated supply chains with U.S. industry as part of a trilateral trade agreement.
Carney’s remarks came shortly after a meeting with autoworkers and labor leaders. He pledged that any revenue generated from Canada’s retaliatory tariffs would be used to support Canadian jobs. "This is a direct attack, to be clear, a direct attack on the very workers that I stood in front of this morning at the Ambassador Bridge," Carney said, referring to the bridge connecting Windsor, Canada, to Detroit, which is central to the U.S. auto industry.
The Prime Minister underscored the significance of the Ambassador Bridge, describing it as a symbol of the long-standing ties between the two countries—commercial, cultural, and familial. However, Carney warned that these ties were now being “broken” by the tariffs, highlighting the escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada.
The ongoing dispute underscores the challenges facing the U.S.-Canada trade relationship, particularly within the highly interconnected auto industry, and raises questions about the future of trilateral trade under the current U.S. administration.
(This story is published from a syndicated feed)