Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney fired back at the Trump administration on Thursday, saying the era of global free trade under the United States "is over," Mediaite reported.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced reciprocal tariffs on more than 180 countries, which he says are designed to reset global trade and return manufacturing to the United States. Specifically for Canada, Trump imposed a 25% auto tariff, which took effect on Thursday.
Speaking to the media from Ottawa and aired on C-SPAN in the U.S., Carney said the effect on the global economy will be "monumental."
"The global economy is fundamentally different today than it was yesterday. The system of global trade anchored on the United States that Canada has relied on since the end of the Second World War — a system that, while not perfect, has helped to deliver prosperity for our country for decades — is over," Carney said.
"We received confirmation that the latest reciprocal tariffs will not be imposed on Canada. At the same time, President Trump confirmed that the tariffs announced last week against our auto industry will come in and indeed have come into effect today."
In response, Carney said Canada will impose a 25% tariff of its own on U.S. auto imports that do not comply with the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement on free trade. Carney said the tariffs would not be imposed on auto parts, citing benefit to their integrated production system, nor would they be imposed on Mexico.
"So while it's progress that further tariffs were not imposed on Canada yesterday, the president’s actions will reverberate here in Canada and across the world," he said.
"Three sets, three different sets of U.S. tariffs remain in place and will continue to pose significant threats to Canadian workers and Canadian businesses. And while they have been imposed under different premises, some things are consistent.
"They are all unjustified, unwarranted, and — in our judgment — misguided."
The prime minister posted on X later in the day that as a result of Trump’s actions, Canada will be seeking new trading partners. "In my conversation with [German] Chancellor [Olaf] Scholz this morning, we agreed to strengthen the diverse trade relationship between Canada and Germany. As we face the crisis caused by President Trump's tariffs, reliable trade partners are more important than ever."
James Morley III ✉
James Morley III is a writer with more than two decades of experience in entertainment, travel, technology, and science and nature.
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