Canada's Mark Carney evaluating "all options" after Trump threatens big tariffs

Montreal, Canada - Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Tuesday he was looking at "all options" after US President Donald Trump made plans to impose new 50% tariffs on many Canadian goods in 30 days.

Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney (r) said he's looking at "all options" after Trump threatened to impose 50% tariffs on many Canadian goods.
Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney (r) said he's looking at "all options" after Trump threatened to impose 50% tariffs on many Canadian goods.  © Collage: SAUL LOEB & DAVE CHAN / AFP

Carney also said that he and Trump had agreed to "intensify discussions" in the coming weeks on a possible deal, but did not suggest he would travel to Washington for any talks.

"We will look at all options in terms of how we would respond if they do come into effect," Carney told reporters after speaking to Trump.

The new tariffs would affect everything from Canadian wine to hockey sticks to cement, but would not apply to energy, potash, and goods already impacted by sector-specific tariffs.

Scientists say the Great Barrier Reef is at risk of total "ecosystem collapse!"
Environment and Climate Scientists say the Great Barrier Reef is at risk of total "ecosystem collapse!"

The duties, however, would hit products under the US-Mexico-Canada free trade agreement, which also will be the subject of negotiations after Washington said on July 1 that it would not extend the accord in its current form.

"The first objective is to get a comprehensive agreement," Carney said.

While Trump has slapped duties on US trading partners since returning to the presidency last year, the orders often exempted goods entering his country under the USMCA.

Canada's conservative opposition has criticized Carney's government for sealing new trade deals, calling instead for the country to move ahead with "unblocking" its resources to counter Trump's trade moves.

Cover photo: Collage: SAUL LOEB & DAVE CHAN / AFP

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