Canadian PM says last-minute demands by Washington were ‘unfair’
Fifty-percent tariffs on imports of about $20 billion worth of Canadian products, threatened earlier US President Donald Trump, took effect on Saturday after trade talks broke down. (Photo: AFP)
WASHINGTON - Hefty US tariffs on some Canadian products took effect on Saturday after days of negotiations that went down to the wire failed to produce an agreement.Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney vowed that his country would match the US tariffs “dollar for dollar to protect our workers and businesses”, after officials said late Friday that Washington and Ottawa had not managed to strike a deal.
The lack of a final agreement means that new 50% duties, set to impact about $20 billion worth of Canadian exports to the United States, took effect on Saturday.
US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told reporters on Friday that “tonight, Canada declined to finalise the trade deal under the terms agreed earlier this week”.
