By Thomas Seal
(Bloomberg) – Prime Minister Mark Carney said that despite winning an election, he promised a trade war with President Donald Trump, but Canada will consider whether to withdraw some anti-elections against the United States.
Carney said retaliatory tariffs should be imposed to maximize the impact on the United States but minimize the pain for Canadian businesses. When the U.S. changes its tariff rates, “we won’t adjust automatically. We look at what the most effective industries can do,” he said in Silnona, British Columbia.
“In some cases, this will be the elimination of tariffs. Over time, we have removed some tariffs, so, for example, the automotive industry can operate more effectively. We will look at opportunities.”
The comments highlight Carney’s politically awkward position, who tries to minimize economic losses while also standing up against Trump. The U.S. president has imposed extensive tariffs on many Canadians by saying their country should be the 51st state in the United States and has angered many Canadians. Polls show that the Canadian public has a strong interest in the hard way to trade negotiations.
But some economists, businesses and provincial prime ministers have warned against escalating with the United States, and Carney has tried to mitigate Canadian anti-election strikes by creating exemptions that apply to tens of thousands of dollars in U.S. products.
To help the automotive industry, Carney provided tariffs to automakers in April if they invested in Canada and retained production. He said in June that the government would adjust its existing anti-competition against steel and aluminum based on discussions with the United States. But since then, the United States has raised some tariffs, but Canada has no retaliation.
Carney won elections in April, such as the Canadian Strong and the Elbows Up, whose phrases were intended to evoke belliger opponents in the national sport of hockey.
Carney’s main political rival, Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre, mocked the verdict, saying that the prime minister’s term is more of “elbow drop and tariffs.”
They are a thriller
If Canadians want other countries to follow suit in retaliation, it turns out that these few months have been disappointing. While the EU and Mexico threaten to take measures against the United States, they have delayed it, making Canada and China the only countries to re-hit with their own considerable anti-competitive approach.
The White House sees Canada’s retaliation as part of the justification for the title tariffs on some Canadian products last week from 25% to 25%. However, most goods remain exempted, covered by the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement signed during Trump’s term.
Pete Hoekstra, U.S. ambassador to Canada, told CBC. Trump’s policy is “taxes on every country in the world.” Diplomats say Canada may have to evacuate its anti-election campaign as part of any trade truce. “They are a thriller now.”
Last month, British Columbia Prime Minister David Eby told Bloomberg that he believes other anti-anti-and and its additional anti-anti-and it won’t change Trump’s mind, but will still hurt his province. This is because it is difficult for British Columbia businesses to replace U.S. steel and aluminum by shipping large commodities from the Oriental Canadian smelter thousands of miles away from the railway.
Still, Canadian voters favor the “hard ball” response, refusing to make concessions, according to Angus Reid’s poll.
– With the assistance of Melissa Shin.
(Starting from paragraph 8, updated with comments from Conservative leaders and US ambassadors.)
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Last modified: August 6, 2025
