Domestic media is reporting that retaliatory sanctions could be announced as early as today by the Canadian government in response to the Trump Administration’s levying of tariffs on the dominion’s aluminium last month.
Anonymous sources told The Globe and Mail in Toronto that the announcement would likely be either today or tomorrow that the Canadian government will follow through with a plan announced last month by Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland to impose a C$3.6-billion tariff on American imports, several of which include aluminium. The tariffs are slated to go into effect on Wednesday.
This week’s announcement, which will be made by Freeland and International Trade Minister Mary Ng, will identify the narrowed-down list of targeted imports under the retaliatory tariffs.
Foreign Affairs Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne told reporters yesterday that the primary aluminium targeted by the Trump Administration is not a threat to the security of their southern neighbor.
“Everyone in Canada understands aluminum from Canada is no threat to national security in the United States. I think that’s more obvious than ever. When you’re looking even at supply chains, which are going from global to regional, I mean, the real opportunity here is to think how can we build more in North America?”
“Obviously, we’re going to continue to negotiate, but we’re going to be prepared to react as we did last time,” Champagne continued. “And I think Canadians understand that [we] stood up and we’ll stand up again for aluminum in Canada.”
Though the tariffs have been championed by the United States’ two remaining primary aluminium smelters, not all US stakeholders are happy about them. Last month U.S. Chamber of Commerce executive vice-president Myron Brilliant characterized the tariffs as a wrong move for the country and its economy.
“These tariffs will raise costs for American manufacturers, are opposed by most U.S. aluminum producers and will draw retaliation against U.S. exports – just as they did before,” he opined. “We urge the administration to reconsider this move.”