“Your government has chosen to put American jobs at risk”

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau criticises US President Donald Trump’s new tariffs on Canadian imports, calling them “a very dumb thing to do” and vowing immediate retaliation. He dismisses Trump’s claim that Canada had failed to curb the flow of fentanyl into the US as “completely false” and warns of a general boycott on American goods if the tariffs are not lifted.

Trump imposed the tariffs on March 4, triggering a trade war with Canada and Mexico. Trudeau, set to step down as prime minister on March 9, cautioned that tough times lay ahead. Economists say Canada, which sends 75% of all exports to the United States, will plunge into a recession unless the tariffs are lifted quickly. However, they also predict economic problems for the US, given the deep ties between the two economies.