This statement followed Trump's decision to raise tariffs on Canadian imports from 25 per cent to 35 per cent for all goods not covered under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, despite his earlier August 1 deadline for reaching a deal.
Canadian Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc held an extended meeting with the US Commerce Secretary, Howard Lutnick, on Tuesday evening upon arriving in Washington, followed by discussions with other senior White House officials. However, these efforts did not deter Trump from increasing tariffs on Canadian goods to 35 per cent from 25 per cent on Thursday, following the failure to secure a trade agreement.
Canada's Prime Minister, Mark Carney, emphasised the need for negotiations to recalibrate the US-Canada relations, stating that Trump's tariffs have disrupted longstanding trade and security partnerships. However, the discussions have yielded limited progress to date.
While more than 90 per cent of Canadian exports enter the US territory duty-free, the newly imposed tariffs target key industries including aluminium, steel and automotive, posing significant challenges to these critical sectors.
