Toronto, Canada – In a fiery press conference, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau condemned U.S. President Donald Trump’s new tariffs, calling them a reckless trade war against Canada while the U.S. simultaneously appeases Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“Today, the United States launched a trade war against Canada, their closest ally and friend. At the same time, they are talking about working positively with Russia and appeasing Vladimir Putin, a lying, murderous dictator. Make that make sense,” Trudeau said, visibly frustrated.
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In response to the 25% tariffs imposed by the U.S. on Canadian and Mexican imports, Canada has announced retaliatory tariffs on over $100 billion worth of American goods. Trudeau accused Trump of deliberately trying to cripple Canada’s economy, stating, “What he wants is a total collapse of the Canadian economy to make it easier to annex us. That is never going to happen. We will never be the 51st state.”
Trump, in a post on Truth Social, fired back: “Please explain to Governor Trudeau, of Canada, that when he puts on a Retaliatory Tariff on the U.S., our Reciprocal Tariff will immediately increase by a like amount!”
The dispute has sparked a wave of nationalist sentiment in Canada, with fans booing the American national anthem at recent NHL and NBA games. Trudeau acknowledged the public’s anger, saying, “Canadians are hurt. Canadians are angry. We’re going to choose not to vacation in Florida. We’re going to buy Canadian products … and yeah, we’re probably going to keep booing the American anthem.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford also announced that his province would impose a 25% export tax on electricity sold to the U.S. and could cut off supply altogether if the tariffs persist. In 2023, Ontario provided power to 1.5 million American homes in Michigan, New York, and Minnesota. Additionally, Ford threatened to halt exports of nickel and other rare minerals critical to the U.S. supply chain.
The Canadian liquor industry has already taken action, with provinces removing American liquor brands from government store shelves. Ontario’s Liquor Control Board alone sells nearly $1 billion CAD ($687 million USD) worth of American alcohol annually.
With tensions rising, the trade war between Canada and the U.S. appears far from over, as both nations brace for the economic and political fallout.
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