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Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney voiced strong opposition on Wednesday to U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to impose import tariffs on cars, calling it a “direct attack” on Canadian workers. The move has heightened trade tensions between the two nations, with Canada vowing to respond decisively.
“We will defend our workers. We’ll defend our companies. We’ll defend our country. And we’ll defend it together,” said Carney, who has built his campaign for the April 28 elections around resisting Trump’s trade policies.
Canada’s Retaliation Plans
Carney made it clear that Canada will not take the tariffs lightly, emphasizing the importance of unity in facing this economic challenge.
“This will hurt us, but through this period, by being together, we will emerge stronger,” he stated.
The Canadian government has already announced retaliatory tariffs, and Carney revealed that additional measures are under consideration.
He has convened a meeting with Canadian officials to discuss further trade strategies in response to Washington’s move.
Trump’s latest policy mandates a permanent 25 percent import tariff on all cars and light trucks not manufactured in the United States.
While about half of the cars sold in the U.S. are produced domestically, a significant portion of imports come from Canada and Mexico, both of which have deeply integrated supply chains with the American auto industry under the North American free trade framework.
Trump had previously introduced tariffs on Canada and Mexico but had temporarily spared automakers from the full impact of the measures.
Impact on Workers and Industry
Carney addressed the issue directly after meeting with autoworkers and labor leaders, promising that revenue generated from Canada’s retaliatory tariffs would be used to support affected workers.
“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,” he said, referring to the key trade link between Windsor, Canada, and Detroit, Michigan.
The bridge has long symbolized the strong economic and social ties between the two nations, ties that Carney now warns are being strained by Trump’s policies.
Carney expressed deep concern over the future of U.S.-Canada relations, noting that the tariffs threaten both countries’ economic stability.
“The bridge is a symbol and a reality up until now of the tight ties between our two countries, ties of kinship, ties of commerce, ties that are in the process of being broken,” he lamented.
With tensions rising, the world will be watching closely to see how Canada navigates this economic standoff with its largest trading partner.
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