Canadian/Ontario government react to U.S. import tariffs

Members of the Canadian government are responding to the U.S. after they imposed import duties of 25% on steel and 10% on aluminum from Canada beginning June 1.

Canada intends to impose surtaxes of up to C$16.6 billion in imports of steel, aluminum and a long list of other products from the U.S.

Some of these products include Maple Syrup, Ketchup, Chocolate, Coffee and Yogurt.

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland called the U.S. measures illegal and counterproductive.

She says, “This is a very strong Canadian action in response to a very bad U.S. decision.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says that despite Canada’s response, that Americans remain Canada’s ally: “This is not about the American people. We have to believe that at some point, common sense will prevail.”

Ontario’s Liberal Leader Kathleen Wynne says: “We have to send a signal to Donald Trump. We have to send a signal that Canada will not be your doormat, Ontario will not be your doormat. We need to push back against this action.”

Ontario’s NDP Leader Andrea Horwath says this will have a devastating impact on jobs in her Hamilton community.

Ontario’s PC leader Doug Ford released this tweet responding to the tariffs:

Please see my statement on the recent steel and aluminum tariffs imposed by the US on Canada: pic.twitter.com/AGeYK9QOZl

— Doug Ford (@fordnation) May 31, 2018

Canada is the number one exporter of steel and aluminum into the U.S.