Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is urging Canadians to support local businesses after the United States imposed new tariffs on Canadian goods. Former US President Donald Trump announced a 25% tax on imports from Canada and Mexico, along with a 10% tax on Chinese goods, starting February 4.
Trudeau responded by calling on Canadians to “check the labels” and buy Canadian-made products. He emphasized that choosing locally made goods would help support the economy during this trade conflict.
To counter Trump’s decision, Canada has introduced its own tariffs. On February 2, Trudeau announced a 25% tax on $106 billion worth of American imports.
Some Canadian provinces have already started removing American goods from their shelves. Nova Scotia, for example, took US-made alcohol off store shelves and increased fees for commercial vehicles coming from the US.
Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc released a detailed list of American goods that will face higher taxes. The list includes:
- Alcohol
- Household appliances
- Tools
- Dairy products
- Fruits and vegetables
- Clothing
- Firearms
These new tariffs will impact about $30 billion worth of US imports.
Chrystia Freeland, a candidate for Prime Minister and Trudeau’s political rival, also spoke about the issue. She said Canada does not want a trade war but will not back down. She called the tariffs a “terrible” decision that would hurt both Canadian and American businesses.
Meanwhile, a senior Canadian government official confirmed that Canada will take legal action against the US tariffs. The official stated that the tariffs are unfair and violate international trade agreements.
With tensions rising, the trade dispute between Canada and the US could continue to grow. For now, Trudeau is encouraging Canadians to take action by supporting local businesses and choosing Canadian-made products whenever possible.
