1) Carney says Canada is preparing reprisals if tariff talks with Trump fail

U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum have now doubled

Courtesy CBC News

Catharine Tunney · CBC News · Posted: Jun 04, 2025

Prime Minister Mark Carney says his government is readying further retaliation measures if negotiations with the United States to end the recently doubled tariffs on steel and aluminum fail.

“We are in intensive negotiations with the Americans and in parallel preparing reprisals if those negotiations do not succeed,” he told the House of Commons during question period Wednesday afternoon.

The government is under mounting pressure to show strength after U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest economic wallop which is forecasted to devastate Canada’s steel and aluminum industries.

Carney called the the move to double levies on steel and aluminum imports — bringing them up to 50 per cent —  “illogical” and “unjustified.”

Scheer, Carney spar over tariff response, pipelines in House of Commons

1 day ago

Duration3:49During question period in the House of Commons Wednesday, Opposition Leader Andrew Scheer accused Prime Minister Mark Carney of being unable to get a deal with President Donald Trump as the U.S. doubles steel and aluminum tariffs. Carney responded the government is in ‘intensive negotiations’ with Washington but is also preparing ‘reprisals’ if those negotiations don’t succeed.

Speaking to reporters at Queen’s Park earlier in the day, Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he will “be all over” the federal government to “slap another 25 per cent on their steel.” 

“We can’t sit back and let President Trump steamroll us,” said the outspoken premier. “Every single day that it goes by gives uncertainty through the sectors, it adds additional cost on the steel. So we need to react immediately.”

Carney said the government is focused on ongoing “intensive discussions” with the United States.

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• Doubled tariffs raise concerns Canadian steel could be shut out of U.S., but some companies say they’ll adjust

“We will take some time — not much, some time — because we are in intensive discussions right now with the Americans on the trading relationship,” Carney said ahead of a caucus meeting Wednesday morning

Trump signs order to hike steel, aluminum tariffs to 50%

2 days ago

Duration: 4:54 U.S. President Donald Trump has signed a proclamation to officially increase steel and aluminum tariffs to 50 per cent, up from the previously announced 25 per cent tariffs. Despite another round of talks between Canadian officials and their U.S. counterparts, Canada is not exempt from the tariff hike.

He called the latest round of tariffs “bad for American workers, bad for American industry and, of course, for Canadian industry as well.”

“I would note that the American action is global action. It’s not one targeted at Canada,” he said. “So we’ll take some time, but not more.”

No deal yet

Ford suggested to reporters that the two countries are close to a deal after Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc visited Washington earlier this week. But senior officials downplayed those comments.

Canada’s envoy to Washington, Ambassador Kirsten Hillman, said it’s “too soon to say we are close” to a deal.

“It was a good conversation but we have more work to do,” she said in a statement. “We will stand firm until we get the right deal for Canada.”

Carney responds to U.S. aluminum and steel tariffs doubling

1 day ago

Duration0:45: Ahead of a Liberal caucus meeting, Prime Minister Mark Carney said the government is in ‘intensive discussions’ with the United States after tariffs on steel and aluminum increased from 25 to 50 per cent.

Ford said Ontario is considering its own retaliation, suggesting “everything is on the table.”

Earlier this year, Ford imposed a 25 per cent surcharge on electricity the province sends to the 1.5 million homes in U.S. But he suspended the measures within a day, saying the “temperature needs to come down.”

‘Show smarts’: Canadian Chamber of Commerce

Industry Minister Mélanie Joly said she’s been on the phone with steel and aluminum sector CEOs and knows many Canadians are anxious for Ottawa’s next moves.

“We are looking at different scenarios right now and we will take a decision, but we need a bit more time right now. Not too long,” she said.

During a news conference on Parliament Hill Wednesday, Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress, said 23,000 steel jobs and another 9,500 aluminum jobs will be impacted within days.

“We know within the next couple of days and weeks, job losses will start to accumulate,” she said.

“We have to be meeting force with force.”

1 day ago

Duration3:09Canadian Labour Congress president Bea Bruske says she wants to see counter-tariffs right away on U.S. imports, with tens of thousands of Canadian jobs are at risk due to President Donald Trump’s ongoing trade war. She spoke on Parliament Hill alongside Federation of Canadian Municipalities CEO Carole Saab and Canadian Chamber of Commerce CEO Candace Laing.

During the same presser, Candace Laing, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, endorsed targeted counter-tariffs, but urged against moves that could have unintended consequences for other Canadian industries. 

“In this moment, it is understandable that we would want to show fight and I think we had that sense from Canadians with the onset of tariffs,” she said.

“We need to also show strength and show smarts in this moment.”

• U.S. appeals court says Trump can keep collecting tariffs — for now

In a statement on Tuesday, Carney’s office said all funds collected from Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on over $90 billion, before remissions, of U.S. imports will go to supporting Canadian workers and businesses impacted by the U.S. tariffs.

Canadian steel and aluminum industries say doubling the tariffs will have a devastating impact. The industries are already dealing with job losses and a drop in shipments, as Canada is the top exporter of those metals to the U.S.

“The steel and aluminum industry is key to Canada’s prosperity, and we’re going to be there fighting,” Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne.

Conservative push for emergency debate denied

The Conservatives pushed to have an emergency debate in the House of Commons on Trump’s 50 per cent tariffs, but the request was denied.

Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia said the request doesn’t meet the bar “at this time.” According to the House’s rules, an emergency debate “must relate to a genuine emergency.”

1 day ago

Duration0:27Before a Liberal caucus meeting, Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said the government’s priority is to ‘fight against’ tariffs and protect workers and industry after U.S. President Donald Trump increased tariffs on aluminum and steel from 25 to 50 per cent.

“The ‘elbows up’ prime minister promised Canadians he was the ‘man with a plan’ to stop U.S. tariffs on Canadian industry,” said Conservative deputy leader Melissa Lantsman on social media.

“U.S. tariffs have only gotten worse since Carney took office.” 

Interim NDP Leader Don Davies said he’s a “bit surprised” Carney needs more time.

“These tariffs have been foreshadowed for some time,” he said. “We need action.”

Carney and Trump will see each other in just over a week at the G7 meeting in Kananaskis, Alta. 

2) Carney says Canada will take ‘some time’ to respond to doubled U.S. metal tariffs

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press

By David Baxter, News, June 4, 2025

Prime Minister Mark Carney said Canada will take “some time” to craft a response to increased U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum after U.S. President Donald Trump doubled the damaging duties on Wednesday.

Trump signed an executive order Tuesday to increase the levies on steel and aluminum to 50 per cent, claiming it was necessary to protect national security and industries in the United States.

On his way into the weekly Liberal caucus meeting in Ottawa Wednesday, Carney said Canada is in “intensive” discussions with the U.S. on trade. The prime minister said the tariffs are “unlawful and unjustified” and predicted they will harm American industry and workers.

Carney also noted that Canada currently has retaliatory tariffs in place on $90 billion worth of U.S. goods.

“We will take some time — not much, some time — because we are in intensive discussions right now with the Americans on our trading relationship,” Carney said when asked about his government’s response to the increased tariffs.

“Those discussions are progressing. I would note that the American action is global action. It’s not one targeted at Canada. So we’ll take some time, but not more.”

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he told Carney that Ottawa should add another 25 per cent to Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on steel to equal Trump’s levies.

“Canada is not the problem,” Ford said on CNN Wednesday. “Again, we purchase $30 billion … of steel off the U.S., and that’s going to come to an end real quick.”

Canada is a major supplier of steel and aluminum to the United States and economists have warned the tariffs could lead to cost increases for Americans. Both metals are used in a wide range of industries, from construction and the auto sector to the manufacture of products like soup cans and paper clips.

Some in American industry applauded Trump’s tariffs while others said predictable trade plans are necessary for investment.

David McCall, the international president of the United Steelworkers union, said in a statement that work must be done “in collaboration with trusted allies” like Canada — the top exporter of steel and aluminum to the U.S. — to help “contain the bad actors.”

The Canadian steel and aluminum industries say the doubled tariffs will have a devastating impact. Liberal MPs from steel towns in Ontario were visibly shaken when they entered caucus Wednesday.

MP Lisa Hepfner of Hamilton, a major steel hub, did not mince words when asked about the impact of 50 per cent tariffs.

“Thousands of jobs lost,” she said. “The end of the industry.”

She called for increased retaliation and said “it has to be quick.”

MP Terry Sheehan represents Sault Ste. Marie, where Algoma Steel is located. He said the industry was already struggling under 25 per cent tariffs.

“If industry goes down in northern Ontario, you don’t just lose your job, which is a terrible thing. You lose the equity in your home when those industries shutter,” Sheehan said.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre posted on social media that Trump’s move to double tariffs was “wrong and unjustified.” He said Canada needs “to take a strong stance in response to these tariffs that gets a deal as soon as possible, protects our sovereignty & jobs.”

Conservative deputy leader Melissa Lantsman called for an emergency debate on the duties. In a post on social media, she said “Canada’s steel and aluminum workers need a plan now.”

—With files from Kyle Duggan in Ottawa, Kelly Geraldine Malone in Washington and The Associated Press

3) Trump says he will double tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to 50 per cent

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press

By Kelly Geraldine Malone, May 30, 2025

U.S. President Donald Trump said he will double the tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to 50 per cent next Wednesday. 

Trump initially announced the boosted duties on steel during a rally at U.S. Steel’s Mon Valley Works–Irvin Plant near Pittsburgh Friday evening. He told a cheering crowd of steelworkers that the increased levies will “further secure the steel industry in the United States.”

“Nobody is going to get around that,” Trump said. 

In a post on social media after the rally, Trump said he would also be increasing tariffs on aluminum to 50 per cent. 

“Our steel and aluminum industries are coming back like never before,” Trump posted. “This will be yet another BIG jolt of great news for our wonderful steel and aluminum workers. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

In March, Trump put 25-per-cent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to the United States. Trump used Section 232 of the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to impose steel and aluminum duties and said it will help bring manufacturing back to the United States.

Canada is the largest steel supplier to the United States, accounting for nearly 25 per cent of all imports in 2023. About a quarter of all steel used in America is imported.

Trump on Friday said he was thinking about a 40-per-cent tariff, but said “the group” wanted it to be 50 per cent. 

As the duties have increased with Trump’s tariffs, the government’s producer price index found the price of steel products has gone up roughly 16 per cent.

Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress, said Trump’s plan to double steel and aluminum tariffs is “yet another direct attack on Canadian workers and a reckless move that will send shockwaves across the Canadian economy.”

“This decision will shut us out of the U.S. market completely, devastating Canada’s steel and aluminum industry and threatening thousands of good-paying, unionized Canadian jobs,” Bruske said. 

Bruske said that, in light of the escalating threat, Canada’s unions call for immediate government action to protect workers. That includes emergency reforms to employment insurance and wage subsidies.

“We need a government that is prepared to stand up for Canadian industries, invest in good union jobs, and protect our economic sovereignty in the face of growing international uncertainty,” Bruske said. 

Candace Laing, president and CEO of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement that unwinding the “efficient, competitive and reliable” cross-border supply chains in steel and aluminum “comes at a great cost to both countries.”

Laing said that, in 2018 under the last round of steel and aluminum tariffs, there was significant net negative job loss in America.

“Doubling the steel and aluminum tariffs to 50 (per cent) is antithetical to North American economic security,” she said. “The fact remains that Canada is a reliable and secure trading partner that supplies materials that sustain American jobs.”

Economists have said tariffs on steel and aluminum during the first Trump administration were costly for American companies and consumers. 

Trump used national security powers to impose a 25-per-cent tariff on steel imports and a 10-per-cent tariff on aluminum imports in March 2018.

Nearly a year later, the White House announced a deal had been reached to prevent “surges” in steel and aluminum supplies from Canada and Mexico, ending the trade dispute.

A report by the Washington-based Tax Foundation said during that time companies were forced to pay higher prices and the duties resulted in the loss of about 75,000 manufacturing jobs.

The Peterson Institute for International Economics found that each job saved in steel-producing industries came at a high cost to consumers – roughly $650,000 per job.

The Canadian steel industry has warned the return of Trump’s tariffs would bring back the disruption and harm seen in 2018. There were also job losses and production pauses in Canada.

Trump announced the increased tariffs during a rally to celebrate a deal between Japan-based Nippon Steel and U.S. Steel. Trump said U.S. Steel will stay an American company but few details of the deal have been made public. 

Nippon Steel issued a statement approving of the proposed “partnership.” It’s not clear if a deal has been finalized.

The surge in duties on steel and aluminum imports come after the president faced his first major legal pushback against use of a different emergency power to impose sweeping tariffs on most nations in the world.

The president used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977, usually referred to by the acronym IEEPA, to enact his so-called “Liberation Day” and fentanyl-related tariffs.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Court of International Trade blocked those tariffs saying Trump went beyond his authority to use IEEPA to take his trade war to the world.

The following day, a federal appeals court granted the Trump administration’s emergency motion for a temporary stay – allowing those tariffs to stay in place, for now.

— With files from Catherine Morrison in Ottawa and The Associated Press