\n<\/p>\n
WASHINGTON: Canada said it will announce Tuesday its response to President Donald Trump\u2019s new tariffs, as neighbors that used to be close allies spiral into a trade war.<\/strong><\/p>\n In response to what it called \u201cthese challenging times,\u201d the Canadian government said Monday night that the ministers of finance, industry, labor and other officials would hold a press conference in Ottawa to detail Canada\u2019s answer to the new levies.<\/p>\n Canada and the United States failed Friday to reach a deal to avert new 50-percent US tariffs on select Canadian goods after weeks of talks. The duties took effect Saturday, and Ottawa laid out plans for retaliation.<\/p>\n Trump added Monday that he would double tariffs on Canadian autos starting next year to 50 percent.<\/p>\n The current US tariff impacting Canadian autos stands at 25 percent for non-US content, while imported steel to the United States generally faces a 50-percent duty. US automakers did not immediately comment on the matter.<\/p>\n After rejecting what he called a \u201cbad deal,\u201d Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced retaliatory tariffs effective September 8.<\/p>\n He said these will target US steel and dairy industries, while also covering sectors like agricultural equipment, paper and electronics.<\/p>\n The government statement released late Monday said ministers will \u201cannounce new measures to protect and support Canadian workers and businesses during these challenging times.\u201d<\/p>\n Carney said Monday that the goal of trade talks with Washington \u201chas always been to get the best deal for Canadians, never a deal at any price or on any time frame.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe learned that, during the negotiations, the Americans wanted to destroy our major industries \u2014 including the automotive, steel, and aluminum sectors \u2014 through unfair negotiating terms. And that is one of the main reasons why we said no.\u201d<\/p>\n He stressed that building domestically and diversifying trade abroad has been \u201cplan A from the start.\u201d<\/p>\n Over the weekend Carney added that, at the 11th hour, US negotiators also sought restrictions on Canadian trade deals with other countries.<\/p>\n US negotiators made unacceptable \u201cthreats\u201d to the French language and \u201cQuebec culture\u201d too, he said, referring to eastern Canada\u2019s French-speaking province.<\/p>\n At a separate event Monday, however, US Vice President JD Vance blamed Canada\u2019s \u201cunreasonable last-minute demands.\u201d<\/p>\n The United States is by far Canada\u2019s biggest trading partner, with Canadian exports to its neighbor representing 70 percent of its overall total.<\/p>\n Canada is the United States\u2019 second biggest trading partner in goods this year, behind Mexico, government data showed.<\/p>\n \u2018We don\u2019t need Canada\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n Three in four Canadians support the Carney government\u2019s decision to walk away from trade talks, according to polling released Sunday by the Angus Reid Institute.<\/p>\n However, the research group noted that two in five Canadians have some fear about their jobs.<\/p>\n Ontario Premier Doug Ford criticized Trump\u2019s tariff threat on autos, saying he could \u201ckiss my ass.\u201d<\/p>\n Ford warned that an electricity surcharge was on the table. In an earlier phase of the dispute, Ontario imposed a 25-percent surcharge on electricity exports to three US states.<\/p>\n Trump lashed out at Ford online, warning of \u201cfar worse\u201d consequences.<\/p>\n The White House had alleged \u201cdiscriminatory treatment\u201d by Canada against US alcohol, automobile and dairy products in rolling out the 50-percent tariffs.<\/p>\n Trump delayed their implementation by three days last week, but both sides failed to reach an agreement after talks went down to the wire.<\/p>\n The latest duties hit about 5.5 percent of Canadian goods entering the US, worth some $20 billion, impacting products like hockey sticks and cement.<\/p>\n Trump charged Monday that \u201cCanada has been ripping off the United States of America for years,\u201d adding \u201cwe don\u2019t need Canada, they need us.\u201d<\/p>\n US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told The New York Times on Saturday that the Trump administration offered to eliminate a 10-percent tariff on softwood lumber, and reduce the 25-percent autos tariff.<\/p>\n Washington was also ready to cut steel tariffs from 50 percent to 25 percent for most Canadian steel, said Greer.<\/p>\n Besides the tariffs fight, Washington and Ottawa have to agree on revisions to the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement (USMCA) which Trump has declined to renew in its current form.<\/p>\n Trump has also repeatedly antagonized Canadians with his threats to make Canada a US state and calling Carney and his predecessor Justin Trudeau \u201cgovernor\u201d \u2014 as if they were US politicians, not prime ministers of an other country.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n