Trump says he will double tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminum imports

U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he will double the tariff on steel and aluminum imports coming from Canada in response to Ontario’s surcharge on electricity exports to the United States.

Trump said 50 per cent tariffs will be placed on Canadian steel and aluminum on Wednesday. In a post on social media, he called Canada “ONE OF THE HIGHEST TARIFFING NATIONS ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD.”

Trump also called on Canada to immediately drop duties on dairy and other “long time tariffs” and threatened to “essentially, permanently shut down the automobile manufacturing business in Canada” with tariffs in April.

“The only thing that makes sense is for Canada to become our cherished Fifty First State,” Trump said.

The president said that annexation would end the tariffs and what he called the “Northern Border” problem, adding “the artificial line of separation drawn many years ago will finally disappear.”

On Monday, Ontario placed a 25 per cent surcharge on electricity exports, hitting about 1.5 million homes in three U.S. states. Premier Doug Ford said he feels terrible for the American people because “it’s one person who’s responsible — that’s President Trump.”

Markets have been in turmoil since Trump launched — and partly paused — a trade war with Canada and Mexico last week.

Canadian officials have said Trump’s ultimate goal is to weaken the Canadian economy in order to annex the country.