Canada defiant in face of US trade war

​​​​​​​TRENTON, Canada

Canada reacted with defiance Thursday in the face of US tariffs, slapping a matching tariff of 25% on US-built vehicles coming into Canada.

“We will fight these tariffs until they are removed,” Prime Minister Mark Carney said at a news conference in response to his government’s reaction to US President Donald Trump’s tariff announcement Wednesday. Current tariffs on US goods will remain in effect, said Carney.

“We are united, we are determined,” he said. “We will build Canada strong.”

While stressing that the US is still Canada’s ally and largest trading partner, Carney said Trump’s tariffs launched on countries around the world will “rupture the global economy.”

He also indicated that the US has abdicated its role as the world’s global leadership country.

“That era is over,” Carney said, adding that Canada must secure other trading relationships since the US is its number one trading partner.

The actions against Canada will result in pain for millions of Canadians who will lose their jobs or be laid off due to the US tariffs. So, the economic road ahead will be hard for the foreseeable future, he said.

“Given the prospective damage to their own people, the American administration should eventually change course,” Carney said. “Although their policy will hurt American families, until that pain becomes impossible to ignore, I do not believe they will change direction, so the road to that point may indeed be long. And will be hard on Canadians just as it will be on other partners of the United States.”