U.S. President Donald Trump said steel and aluminum tariffs on Canada will go up to 50 per cent, in response to Ontario’s decision to impose a 25 per cent tariff on electricity imports to the U.S.
“Based on Ontario, Canada, placing a 25% Tariff on ‘Electricity’ coming into the United States, I have instructed my Secretary of Commerce to add an ADDITIONAL 25% Tariff, to 50%, on all STEEL and ALUMINUM COMING INTO THE UNITED STATES FROM CANADA, ONE OF THE HIGHEST TARIFFING NATIONS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD. This will go into effect TOMORROW MORNING, March 12th,” Trump posted on Truth Social.
The U.S. president said he will raise the threatened tariff on steel and aluminum from Canada from the 25 per cent set to go into effect on Wednesday to 50 per cent.
According to the Aluminum Association of Canada, the U.S. relies on Canada for 75 per cent of its imported primary aluminum.
Trump said he would “permanently shut down” the automobile manufacturing industry in Canada, if Ontario does not back down. He has threatened tariffs on Canada’s auto sector on April 2.
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“I will shortly be declaring a National Emergency on Electricity within the threatened area. This will allow the U.S to quickly do what has to be done to alleviate this abusive threat from Canada. If other egregious, long time Tariffs are not likewise dropped by Canada, I will substantially increase, on April 2nd, the Tariffs on Cars coming into the U.S. which will, essentially, permanently shut down the automobile manufacturing business in Canada,” he said.
Trump repeated his threat of making Canada the 51st state of the United States.
“The only thing that makes sense is for Canada to become our cherished Fifty First State. This would make all Tariffs, and everything else, totally disappear,” he said.
Trump again referred to the border as “artificial.”
“The artificial line of separation drawn many years ago will finally disappear, and we will have the safest and most beautiful Nation anywhere in the World — And your brilliant anthem, “O Canada,” will continue to play, but now representing a GREAT and POWERFUL STATE within the greatest Nation that the World has ever seen!”
Last month, Trump signed a pair of presidential proclamations that will impose starting March 12, with
Trump’s additional tariff on Canada will be stacked on top of these tariffs.
Trump was responding to the Ontario government’s decision to apply a 25 per cent surcharge on all electricity exports to three U.S. states in retaliation for the sweeping 25 per cent tariffs Trump imposed on Canada earlier this month.
The additional tax, effective on Monday, will affect 1.5 million homes and businesses in Michigan, Minnesota and New York — costing up to $400,000 per day, the provincial government said.
The move is part of Ontario’s initial suite of retaliatory measures against U.S. President tariffs on Canadian goods.
“President Trump’s tariffs are a disaster for the U.S. economy. They’re making life more expensive for American families and businesses,” Premier Doug Ford said in a statement Monday.
“Until the threat of tariffs is gone for good, Ontario won’t back down. We’ll stand strong, use every tool in our toolkit and do whatever it takes to protect Ontario.”
More to come
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