Donald Trump confirmed at the end of the day on Thursday that Canada was going to see his customs tariffs increased by 10%, going from 25% to 35% from weeks of threats.
Negotiations to obtain a “deal” seemed to be dead at the end of the day after a new day trying to avoid the rise in surcharge.
President Donald Trump lets know that Mark Carney had tried to speak to him earlier during the day, but that he did not respond to the Prime Minister.
“We haven’t talked to Canada today,” he said.
The White House repeated Thursday that dozens of countries, including Canada, would be struck by an increase in prices this morning, failing to have concluded an agreement with Trump.
“In response to the continuous inaction of Canada and his reprisals, President Trump deemed it necessary to increase the customs prices imposed in Canada from 25 % to 35 % to respond effectively to the current emergency. “, Can we read in the file on” Customs rights to fight against illicit drug trafficking at our northern border “, published by the White House a little before 7 p.m.
Since his election in November, the American president has shown false information about fentanyl traffic and the passage of illegal immigrants from Canada to the United States to justify his trade war.
Earlier this week, the newspaper reported the opposite while thousands of Haitian refugees are currently fleeing Trump’s policies to come here.
Other media have also revealed in the past few weeks that the vast majority of fentanyl seizures on the border came from the United States to Canada and not the opposite.
Donald Trump said in the morning that the recognition of the Palestinian state by Canada, as envisaged by Mark Carney, “makes the prospect of an agreement very difficult. The American president was delighted by saying that he had “not liked” the decision, but that she does not threaten to break the discussions that are going on.
The Canadian team led by Minister Dominic Leblanc and Ambassador Kirsten Hillman was still in Washington on Thursday to try to snatch a deal.
A negligible impact
All countries have failed to agree with Washington will see their customs duties increase. The White House has already announced agreements with the United Kingdom, the European Union, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan and with South Korea.
Mexico has obtained an extension of 90 days.
Thursday’s announcement increases rates from 25 % to imports on imports that do not comply with the Canada-UNITE-Mexico (ACEUM) free trade agreement. They are added to the sectoral prices already in place.
Should we worry about it? Several experts believe not.
In fact, this “is not too unfavorable. It could be worse [de conclure un mauvais deal avec Trump]”, Explains in an interview Rambod Behboodi, a lawyer specializing in international trade in the BLG office.
Rates of 35 % would therefore only apply approximately 5 % and 10 % of Canadian exports due to ACEUM, which exempts a large portion of our products from Trump measures.
