US President Donald Trump signed a series of executive proclamations Monday levying 50% tariffs on a wide array of Canadian products - ranging from athletic gear like hockey sticks to alcoholic beverages, CBS News reported.
The steep duties are scheduled to take effect August 19. Administration officials cited "unreasonable, unequal, and discriminatory actions" by Ottawa against American exports, pointing to measures Canadian authorities put in place following initial US tariffs enacted last year.
The newly targeted imports retaliate against Canadian duties on American vehicle imports, striking a diverse range of items including electronic equipment, hockey gear, honey, flower bulbs, down feathers, plywood, animal hides, and jewelry.
Additionally, the Trump administration slapped duties on Canadian-produced beer, wine, spirits, and dairy. Those measures come in response to Canadian boycotts of American liquor products sparked by last year's US tariffs, as well as Ottawa's long-standing import quotas on dairy products.
A senior US administration official confirmed during a Monday briefing that products moving under the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) - the trilateral trade pact negotiated during Trump's first presidential term - will not receive an exemption from the incoming 50% levies.
While acknowledging the severity of the measures, the official insisted the move does not signal an outright trade war and noted that Washington remains willing to negotiate. However, the administration maintained that concrete steps were necessary to counter what it characterizes as unfair economic policies and Canadian countermeasures aimed at US tariffs.