After President Donald Trump doubled tariffs on steel and aluminum imports effective Wednesday, Canada said it wanted to talk.

Canadian Prime Mark Carney said his government is negotiating with the United States on the tariffs, which rose from 25 percent to 50 percent, according to the National Post.

“The additional tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum announced today by the United States are unlawful and unjustified,” Carney said.

“Canada’s new government is engaged in intensive and live negotiations to have these and other tariffs removed as part of a new economic and security partnership with the United States.”

“We are fighting to get the best deal for Canada, and we will take the time necessary, but no longer,” Carney explained.

Canadian data says more than 90 percent of the steel and aluminum made in Canada is exported to the U.S.

The Aluminum Association of Canada said the additional tariffs make Canadian exports to the U.S. “economically unviable.”

Trump’s presidential action referenced a 2018 finding that “steel articles are being imported into the United States in such quantities and under such circumstances as to threaten to impair the national security of the United States.”

The order said a similar finding was made for aluminum and that seven years later, nothing had changed for the better.

Do you support Trump’s tariff strategy?

Yes: 97% (2713 Votes)

No: 3% (75 Votes)

In the action, Trump wrote, “the increased tariffs will more effectively counter foreign countries that continue to offload low-priced, excess steel and aluminum in the United States market and thereby undercut the competitiveness of the United States steel and aluminum industries. “

“Although the previously imposed steel and aluminum tariffs have helped provide critical price support in the United States market, they have not yet enabled these industries to develop and maintain the rates of capacity production utilization that are necessary for the industries’ sustained health and for projected national defense needs.”

A White House fact sheet issued in conjunction with the imposition of the tariffs said Great Britain is exempt from the increase until at least July 9.

The fact sheet noted that America’s steel and aluminum industries have been “harmed by unfair trade practices and global excess capacity.”

“Foreign nations have been flooding the United States market with cheap steel and aluminum, often subsidized by their governments,” the fact sheet said.

The fact sheet said that utilization of production capacity of steel in the United States has been falling, going from 80 percent in 2021 to 75.3 percent in 2023, citing imports for the dip.

Utilization of production capacity for aluminum fell from 61 percent in 2019 to 55 percent in 2023.

“The United States does not want to be in a position where it would be unable to meet demand for national defense and critical infrastructure in a national emergency,” per the fact sheet.

Contributor, News

Advertise with The Western Journal and reach millions of highly engaged readers, while supporting our work. Advertise Today.