Wednesday April 2, 2025 | OTTAWA, ON [Reporting from VICTORIA, BC]
by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends
Prime Minister Mark Carney gave some brief remarks to media today after US President Donald Trump’s promised April 2 announcement about tariffs.
About 6:30 pm Eastern (3:30 Pacific), Carney told reporters outside the House of Commons cabinet room that the Trump announcement changes the international trading system in a fundamental manner.
“Trump has taken a series of measures that are going to fundamentally change the international trading system. In doing so, he has preserved a number of important elements of our relationship — the commercial relationship between Canada and the United States.”
The so-called ‘fentanyl-related’ tariffs still remain in place as do the tariffs for steel and aluminum.
Tariffs still in place, and more coming:
Some aspects of the US/Canadian trading relationship have been maintained but tariffs continue on aluminum and steel, and vehicle tariffs come into effect this evening.
As of this evening the tariffs on automobiles will enter into force
Still to come from the US are the expected tariffs in so-called ‘strategic sectors’ including pharmaceutical products, lumber and semi-conductors, Carney pointed out today.
Impact on US economy & Canadians:
“There’s going to be an impact on the US economy, which will build with time in our judgement it will be negative on the US economy. That will have an impact on us.”
“But the series of measures will directly affect millions of Canadians,” he said.
Fighting for workers:
“We will fight these tariffs with counter measures, we’re going to protect our workers, and we are going to build the strongest economy in the G7,” said Carney.
“In a crisis it’s important to come together and it’s essential to act with purpose and with force,” he said.
Meetings today and tomorrow:
He had already met with this Canada-US council and was heading into a meeting with his Canada-US cabinet committee. Tomorrow Carney will be meeting with Canada’s provincial and territorial premiers.
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NEWS SECTIONS: CANADA-NATIONAL | CANADA-USA | TARIFFS & TRADE | CANADIAN FEDERAL ELECTION 2025