No to the first part of that, and yes to the "policy action" part.Canada has announced retaliatory tariffs against the US, in a move that marks the beginning of a trade war between the neighbouring countries.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau set out "far-reaching" tariffs of 25%, affecting 155bn Canadian dollars' worth ($106.6bn; £86bn) of American goods ranging from beer and wine, to household appliances and sporting goods.
The move matches US President Donald Trump 25% levy on Canadian and Mexican imports to the US - and an additional 10% on China - over his concerns about illegal immigration and drug trafficking.
Trudeau said he would "not back down in standing up for Canadians", but warned of real consequences for people on both sides of the border.
"We don't want to be here, we didn't ask for this," he said at a news conference late on Saturday.
The Canadian prime minister added that tariffs on 30bn-worth US goods would come into force on Tuesday and another 125bn in 21 days to give Canadian firms time to adjust.
[...]
Christopher Sands, director of the Wilson Center's Canada Institute, told the BBC that tit-for-tat tariffs between the US and Canada were "mutually assured destruction" and they would impact people's lives very quickly.
He said there would be no adjustment time as US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent had recently proposed: "Just a massive hit that's going to make a lot of people's lives a lot tougher, very quickly."
But the taxes are a central part of Trump's economic vision. He sees them as a way of growing the US economy, protecting jobs and raising tax revenue - and in this case, pushing for policy action.
BBC
Stupid, stupid, stupid.The White House said on Saturday the implementation of tariffs was "necessary to hold China, Mexico, and Canada accountable for their promises to halt the flood of poisonous drugs into the United States".
But Trudeau pushed back on the suggestion the shared border posed a security concern, saying less than 1% of fentanyl going into the US comes from Canada.
He added less than 1% of illegal migrants entered the US through the border and that tariffs were "not the best way we can actually work together to save lives"
Trump has indicated he is ready to escalate the duties further if the countries retaliate to his tariffs, as Canada has done.
Jesus wept.
From Justin Trudeau:
Sadly, MAGA has no sense of friendship, and less of shame.
UPDATE 08:46 am:
Somebody is about to be doxxed and attacked. And perhaps forced to bend the knee by the Chamber's corporate funders. Watch your back, John Murphy.
US Chamber of Commerce is the largest lobbying group in the US. Go get 'em!
I have the feeling it's going to become its worst within the states themselves.
UPDATE 09:03 am:
UPDATE 05:45 pm:
Shameless. Batshit crazy. And tragic.
UPDATE 02/03/2025:
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