From honey to hockey sticks, Trump’s trade war with Canada hikes tariffs on a long list of goods
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- Trump imposed 50% tariffs on over 550 Canadian goods effective Saturday, expected to affect roughly $20 billion — about 5% of the $381.92 billion in products Canada sent to the U.S. last year
- Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, a never-before-used Great Depression-era law, was the legal basis Trump invoked to authorize up to 50% duties on imports from countries that discriminate against U.S. businesses
- Mark Carney promised dollar-for-dollar retaliation starting Sept. 8, targeting U.S. steel, dairy, appliances, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper, and electronics
- Trump threatened to raise tariffs on Canadian cars, trucks, auto parts, and steel to 50% starting Jan. 1, 2027 — on top of the existing 25% auto tariff and 50% steel sectoral tariff
- Ontario Premier Doug Ford told AP that "everything is on the table," saying his province is ready to cut off electricity and critical minerals to the U.S. and called for using oil and potash as leverage
- Carney said Washington's auto-sector proposals would "gradually dismantle" Canadian production and noted Canada is the largest customer for U.S. automobiles, affecting workers in Ohio, Kentucky, and Alabama
Why it matters: Tariffs are paid by U.S. importers and largely passed to consumers, so households could see price hikes across honey, hockey sticks, smartphones, and construction materials — while Canada's promised Sept. 8 retaliation on U.S. steel, dairy, and electronics risks further escalation before Trump's threatened January 2027 auto tariff hike.
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