Steel, plastics, Florida orange juice on Canada’s list of potential retaliatory tariffs against U.S.
Amidst growing tensions between Canada and the United States, there is a leaked document circulating among senior officials in Ottawa that outlines potential retaliatory measures against Donald Trump’s tariff threats. The document includes a list of American-made goods that could be targeted with retaliatory tariffs, according to a senior Canadian government source.
The list includes a wide range of products such as American steel, ceramics, glassware, flowers, and plastics. Even Florida orange juice is being considered as a possible target for tariffs, although final decisions have not yet been made. The source emphasized that if necessary, Canada will choose items strategically to apply maximum political pressure, as was done in response to Trump’s previous tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum.
Many of the steel products being considered for tariffs are produced in key swing states like Michigan and Pennsylvania. Additionally, targeting orange juice from Florida aims to send a message to Trump’s adopted state and the new center of American power.
It has been reported that officials around Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are increasingly convinced that President-elect Trump will follow through on his threat to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico. Trump reiterated his threats during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate, stating that the U.S. would absorb Canada by “economic force.”
The Canadian government is still deliberating whether to make the full list of tariff threats public before Trump’s inauguration. Some members of the cabinet committee responsible for Canada-U.S. relations are hesitant to release the list before tariffs are imposed, fearing it may provoke the president-elect. There is also consideration of using energy exports as leverage to dissuade the future Trump administration from implementing tariffs.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has suggested cutting off the province’s electricity exports to the U.S. as a potential measure, although this proposal is not supported by all provinces. Alberta, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador have already voiced their opposition to cutting off energy supplies to the United States.
Trudeau is expected to announce details of the Canadian plan when he meets with the premiers next week in Ottawa. The premiers will also present their own list of retaliatory tariffs in an effort to present a unified front against the imposition of tariffs. The outcome of these discussions will have significant implications for the future of trade relations between Canada and the United States.
