Trudeau says Canada to impose retaliatory duties of 25% on US goods

Canadian authorities are imposing retaliatory duties of 25% on goods from the United States totaling $155 billion, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a press conference on February 1.

"I am announcing that Canada will retaliate to U.S. trade actions with duties of 25 percent on $155 billion worth of U.S. goods, which will include immediate duties on $30 billion worth of goods starting Tuesday," he said.

US President Donald Trump's decision to impose import duties on goods from Canada will have real consequences for Americans themselves, the Canadian prime minister emphasized. Trudeau also accused the American leader of violating the US-Canada free trade agreement by imposing import duties.

According to the Canadian Prime Minister, Ottawa, together with the provinces and territories, is considering as retaliatory measures not related to the imposition of customs duties steps that, among other things, "relate to the supply of critical minerals and energy resources," including uranium, steel and aluminum.

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Earlier in the day, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum ordered the implementation of a plan to impose retaliatory duties against the U.S. to protect the country's interests. She stressed that the Mexican authorities "categorically reject the White House's slander against the Mexican government about ties to criminal organizations." According to her, Mexico does not want a confrontation, because if the United States is interested in fighting the spread of fentanyl, they need to work together with their neighbors in a comprehensive way.

Trump signed an executive order imposing trade tariffs on goods from Canada, China and Mexico on Feb. 1. According to Trump, Canada is responsible for significant amounts of drug smuggling into the United States. In response, Trudeau said the country has an equal, strong and reasonable response to Trump's imposition of duties. He clarified that the Canadian side does not want to impose retaliatory measures against the US, while if the American side "takes that step", Canada will be forced to act.