Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney described the recent U.S. tariffs on Canada as a miscalculation intended to hurt and divide the country, following the collapse of trade negotiations late Friday.
He said he withdrew from the negotiations because he was unwilling to compromise Canada’s sovereignty.
“They demanded too much and offered too little,” Carney said in a speech to Canadians on Saturday morning.
The prime minister added that Canada will impose matching tariffs dollar‑for‑dollar starting on September 8, covering steel, dairy, appliances, and electronics. President Trump has not yet responded.
Both nations had been optimistic about reaching an agreement earlier in the week, but the talks collapsed on Friday night after each side accused the other of making last‑minute changes.
With the negotiations broken, Canada will face new 50% U.S. tariffs on a variety of Canadian goods, in addition to existing tariffs on steel, aluminium, automobiles and lumber.
The prime minister said Canada’s retaliation is reluctantly aimed at protecting its interests, and further details of the counter‑measures will be announced in the coming days.
Carney’s Saturday speech marks his first address to Canadians after announcing late Friday night that a deal could not be reached, accusing the United States of making last‑minute changes he called unfair and uneconomic.
U.S. negotiators, however, accused Canada of introducing new demands and walk‑backs on terms that had previously been agreed upon earlier in the week.
