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Here's the latest as Canada braces for Trump tariffs Tuesday

OTTAWA — U.S. President Donald Trump will hit Canada with 25 per cent tariffs on Tuesday, with a lower 10 per cent duty for energy.
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Canadian and American flags fly near the Ambassador Bridge at the Canada-USA border crossing in Windsor, Ont. on Saturday, March 21, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Rob Gurdebeke

OTTAWA — U.S. President Donald Trump will hit Canada with 25 per cent tariffs on Tuesday, with a lower 10 per cent duty for energy.

The federal government has been working to reassure Canadians that it is has a robust plan to respond with retaliatory measures.

Here's the latest (all times Eastern):

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6:00 p.m.

NDP leader Jagmeet Singh is calling on the federal government to protect workers as it responds to the incoming tariffs from the U.S.

"It is urgent that the government is ready to put financial help into the hands of workers who are impacted, and that we protect as many jobs as possible with a strong commitment to buy Canadian," he says in a statement.

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5:46 p.m.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith says she is disappointed by the looming tariffs on Canadian goods, including 10 per cent on Canadian energy.

Posting on social media, Smith claims the reduced tariff for energy was in part a recognition of her government's advocacy.

Smith has pursued diplomacy in the face of tariff threats, including visiting Trump's Florida home and Washington to defend cross-border energy trade.

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5:38 p.m.

Assembly of First Nations National Chief Cindy Woodhouse Nepinak says she plans to travel to the U.S. this month to meet with Native American organizations to discuss the tariffs, as well as treaty and border mobility rights.

"We call on the federal government to ensure First Nations leadership is part of any Team Canada approach to trade and border discussions," Nepinak says in a statement.

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5:37 p.m.

The Federation of Canadian Municipalities says U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods will have severe consequences on local economies.

The organization says in a press release it's been working closely with federal and provincial partners "to defend local economies on both sides of the border."

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5:34 p.m.

Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre condemned the "massive, unjust and unjustified tariffs on Canada's already weak economy" in a press release.

Poilievre reiterated his calls for Parliament's return, advocating for dollar-for-dollar tariffs, an emergency tax cut and other measures to support businesses, workers and the economy.

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5:24 p.m.

Ontario premier Doug Ford says on social media that he’s “extremely disappointed” the U.S. president “has chosen to walk away from a trading relationship that for decades has made life better for millions of workers on both sides of the border.”

“Canada now has no choice but to hit back and hit back hard,” says Ford, who has used the tariff threat as a justification for his snap election call.

Ford says the federal government has his full support to match U.S. tariffs dollar for dollar, adding the tariffs will put 450,000 jobs at risk in Ontario.

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5:16 p.m.

Federal Liberal Party leadership candidate Mark Carney says the tariffs "are a clear violation of our trade agreements and require the most serious trade and economic responses in our history."

Carney says in a statement that Canada needs to face this challenge as a united team, and that he supports dollar-for-dollar retaliatory tariffs "where they will be felt the hardest in the United States but will have the least impact in Canada."

"At the same time, we need a co-ordinated strategy to boost investment and to support our Canadian workers through what will be a difficult moment."

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5:10 p.m.

President Donald Trump has signed an order imposing tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada and China, according to The Associated Press.

He is declaring an economic emergency to put 25 per cent tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, and 10 per cent on all imports from China. Canadian oil will also get a 10 per cent rate.

The White House says Trump’s order also includes a mechanism to escalate the rates if the countries retaliate against the U.S., as they have threatened.

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5:10 p.m.

The Explorers and Producers Association of Canada says the United States needs Canada’s world-class energy resources to ensure reliable, secure and low-cost oil and gas.

The group says in a statement that the incoming tariffs will affect both the Canadian and U.S. economies and will increase energy costs for all America.

It's calling for a "measured" response from the Canadian government, including addressing concerns outlined by the U.S. on border security.

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5:02 p.m.

Federal Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says Canada has done nothing to provoke the incoming tariffs.

Wilkinson posts on social media, saying he wants to "reassure each and every Canadian: no matter who you are or where you live," that the government is prepared and ready to fight.

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5 p.m.

Canada's Building Trades Unions says it will be talking to its members in the coming days about steps to be taken to protect workers and their families in the face of incoming tariffs.

A news release says union executive director Sean Strickland met with federal Labour Minister Steve MacKinnon and called for a clear, effective, and tenacious response to the tariffs.

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4:43 p.m.

Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal, took to social media to predict jobs losses and supply chain disruptions. He also has strong words for the American administration.

“We need enlightened leaders. We need inspiration from Churchill and Zelensky. We don't give in to states that behave like bullying thugs,” Leblanc says on X.

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4:34 p.m.

The Calgary Chamber says it is deeply concerned by the tariffs, calling them "bad economic policy."

President and CEO Deborah Yedlin asks the federal government to focus on diplomacy and de-escalation and avoid "further blows" to the economy through retaliation.

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4:33 p.m.

The B.C. Chamber of Commerce says the incoming 25 per cent tariffs imposed by the U.S. government are "unnecessary and unreasonable."

Chamber president Fiona Famulak says there needs to be a strong and determined response from government, and everyone needs to stand united as a province and as a country to protect Canada's interests.

She says although nearly $3.6 billion worth of goods and services cross the border each way every day, it is time to be nimble, plan forward, and explore opportunities to diversify markets.

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4:17 p.m.

The Greater Vancouver Board of Trade says the incoming tariffs proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump are likely to cost everyday Canadians, causing job losses and hurting businesses on both sides of the border.

Board president Bridgitte Anderson says members are incredibly concerned about the trade war, since more than 50 per cent of B.C. exports go to U.S.

She says if 25 per cent tariffs across the board come into force Tuesday, the province will lose tens of billions in economic activity.

She called it "unwise" to dissolve the long-standing partnership between the two countries, saying their ties go beyond the economic, with shared families, culture and values.

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4:05 p.m.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business reacts swiftly to the tariffs coming Tuesday, saying they are “deeply disappointing and will hit small businesses hard on both sides of the border.”

The organization says just over half of Canada’s small businesses are involved in importing or exporting directly to the United States.

It's calling on the Canadian government to take measures such as reducing taxes and cutting red tape that it says would allow small businesses in the country to stay competitive with their American counterparts.

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3:58 p.m.

Québec solidaire spokeswoman Ruba Ghazal says the tariffs are “terrible news" for the province's workers.

She says the combination of tariffs and a cut in public service jobs would be too much for families to handle.

Ghazal called on Quebec Premier François Legault to put measures in place to support those working in the affected industries.

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3:50 p.m.

Unifor, the country's largest private sector union, says Canada must hit back "hard and fast" as U.S. President Donald Trump declares economic war on Canadian workers.

Unifor president Lana Payne says in addition to a "strong response" to tariffs, there should be other measures in place to support local jobs and industries, better manage strategic national resources, and ensure people buy Canadian products.

Unifor has also called for enhanced income supports for workers with better access to employment insurance benefits and emergency relief programs to mitigate the risk of layoffs and sustain companies in their operations.

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3:30 p.m.

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce calls the incoming tariffs to be imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump "profoundly disturbing."

Chamber president Candace Laing says in a press release that tariffs will drastically increase the cost of everything for everyone, hurting families, communities and businesses.

She says the majority of Americans oppose tariffs, and that the way to strengthen the Canadian economy is to diversify its trading partners and dismantle unnecessary internal trade barriers to keep goods and services flowing.

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3:20 p.m.

Government sources say U.S. President Donald Trump will hit Canada with 25 per cent tariffs on Tuesday, while imposing a lower 10 per cent duty on energy imports.

The federal government informed provinces Saturday that tariffs are coming, say the provincial sources who cannot be named in order to share details that governments have not yet made public.

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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 1, 2025.

The Canadian Press



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