Canadian leaders respond to Trump’s new tariff threat

US President Donald Trump threatened a new round of tariffs against the world but they will hit Canada harder than any other country according to American import numbers.

On February 9th, Trump revealed he planned to introduce a 25% tariff on aluminum and steel imports into the United States the following day. This wasn’t good news for many.  

The new tariffs would take effect immediately and would be applied against all countries and would match the tariff rates levied by other nations as well according to Reuters. 

“Very simply, it's, if they charge us, we charge them," Trump stated about the reciprocal tariffs he planned to impose. However, this decision will impact some more than others. 

Canada, Mexico, and Brazil are America’s largest steel supplies while South Korea and Vietnam also provide a lot according to data from the American Iron and Steel Institute.

According to TradeImeX, 77% of US steel imports from 2023-2024 came from just ten countries, Canada was at the top of that list providing 6.39 million metric tons of steel. 

Canada’s steel imports amounted to $8.36 billion, far and away the largest nation on the top ten list with Brazil providing $4.56 billion (3.49 million metric tons) and Mexico $3.73 billion (2.85 million metric tons).

Trump is already embroiled in a tariff dispute with Canada and Mexico, one that he was supposed to be pausing for thirty days. However, those promises are now broken.  

Canada will be hit especially hard by Trump’s new 25% tariffs since it not only supplies a large amount of steel to American manufacturers but also most of the US’s aluminum. 

According to figures published by Reuters, Canada supplied a total of 79% of America’s aluminum from January 2024 to November 2024. This means consumers will likely pay a very hefty price in the future, and Canada’s aluminum sector will be hurt. 

Canadian officials were quick to respond to Trump’s new threats. Canadian Innovation Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne warned that Canadian aluminum and steel were two major manufacturing inputs that affected a wide range of US sectors. 

"Canadian steel and aluminum support key industries in.  the U.S. from defence, shipbuilding and auto," Champagne wrote on X. "We will continue to stand up for Canada, our workers, and our industries."

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, a former Trump supporter turned enemy following his first round of tariff threats, responded to Trump’s latest provocation by noting that Trump’s “shifting goalposts and constant chaos” was putting Canada’s economy at risk. 

BBC News covered Ford’s comments, which he made on social media, and added that Ontario is an aluminum and steel hub that would be greatly affected by the new tariffs Trump plans to impose on the world. 

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was in Paris when the news of Trump’s new tariff threat broke but he had little to say about the issue when asked. 

Trudeau opted not to answer questions about whether or not he planned to retaliate to the likely steel and aluminum tariffs from Washington when asked by reporters during a press conference according to the Toronto Star. 

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