Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has described a fresh wave of US tariffs on Canada as a "miscalculation" intended to "hurt and divide us", following the collapse of trade talks late on Friday. Speaking on Saturday morning, Carney stated he withdrew from a deal because he was unwilling to "compromise Canada's sovereignty", adding, "They asked too much and they offered too little."
Carney announced that Canada will match US tariffs "dollar-for-dollar" from 8 September, which will include levies on steel, dairy, appliances, and electronics. This comes in response to new 50% US tariffs on a range of Canadian goods, in addition to existing US tariffs on Canadian steel, aluminium, automobiles, and lumber.
Both countries had expressed optimism for a deal earlier in the week, but negotiations broke down on Friday night. US negotiators accused Canada of making "new demands and walk backs" on previously agreed terms, while Carney accused the Americans of making "last-minute changes" that were "unfair" and "uneconomic". The Prime Minister stated Canada is retaliating "reluctantly" to protect its interests, with further details on counter-measures expected in the coming days.