Freeland detailed Canada’s plan to hit back at the U.S. after President Donald Trump’s announcement on Thursday that he is reimposing aluminum tariffs.
In her statement, she said: “The August 6th announcement by the United States to impose tariffs on certain Canadian aluminum products, citing national security concerns, is unwarranted and unacceptable.
Trump made the announcement while holding a so-called rally at a Whirlpool plant in Ohio, where he said Canada is “taking advantage of us, as usual … because the aluminum business was being decimated by Canada. Very unfair,” according to The Hill.
Freeland also made it clear that Canada would try to avoid escalating the dispute, adding that retaliation would be “reciprocal and limited in scope.” Not only that, but this point of contention over aluminum had been cleared up prior to the finalization of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement, which went into effect in July.
Freeland called Trump’s tariffs “unnecessary, unwarranted and entirely unacceptable,” and said they are the “last thing anyone needs” right now given the current state of the economy amid COVID-19, reports CTV News Canada. “In response to the American tariffs, Canada intends to swiftly impose dollar-for-dollar countermeasures.”
Freeland also pointed out who would suffer the most from Trump’s tariffs – The American people. “The United States has taken the absurd decision to harm its own people at a time when its economy is suffering its deepest crisis since the Great Depression,” she said, according to CBC Canada.
“Any American who buys a can of beer or a soda or a car or a bike will suffer. In fact, the washing machines Trump stood in front of yesterday will get more expensive.”
A Wall Street Journal editorial hit the nail on the head – accusing Trump of retreating to his favorite play — tariffs — in the hope of salvaging his struggling re-election bid.