Trump threatens Canada with additional 10 pc import tax over not removing anti-tariff ad soon

Washington:  US President Donald Trump has announced an additional 10 per cent tariffs on import of Canadian goods over an ‘anti-tariff’ television ad aired by the Ontario government, adding that the tariff was being added because the ad was not removed sooner.

“Their Advertisement was to be taken down, IMMEDIATELY, but they let it run last night during the World Series, knowing that it was a FRAUD,” Trump said in a post on his social media platform ‘Truth Social’ as he flew aboard Air Force One to Malaysia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit.

“Because of their serious misrepresentation of the facts, and hostile act, I am increasing the Tariff on Canada by 10 per cent over and above what they are paying now,” he added.

The Ontario government launched a $75-million anti-tariff ad campaign featuring former US President Ronald Reagan that was being broadcast in the US and was scheduled to run until the end of January.

Last Thursday, Trump announced he was ending trade talks with Canada over the ad.

Ontario premier Doug Ford announced on Friday that the Canadian government would pull the ad in hopes of getting trade talks restarted, but not until Monday.

It was not immediately clear when the 10 per cent hike would come into effect, nor whether it would apply to all Canadian goods.

Canada’s economy has been hit hard by Trump’s tariffs, and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has been trying to work with Trump to lower them.

More than three-quarters of Canadian exports go to the US, and nearly $3.6 billion Canadian ($2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border daily.

Many Canadian products have been hit with a 35 per cent tariff, while steel and aluminum face rates of 50 per cent.

Energy products have a lower rate of 10 per cent, while other goods covered by the US-Canada-Mexico Agreement are exempt. That trade agreement is slated for review. Trump negotiated the deal in his first term, but has since soured on it.

Trump and Carney will both attend the ASEAN summit in Malaysia.

But Trump told reporters travelling with him that he had no intention of meeting Carney there.

The US President said the ad misrepresented the position of Reagan, a two-term US President and a tall figure in the Republican Party.

Trump has complained the ad was aimed at influencing the US Supreme Court ahead of arguments scheduled for next month that could decide whether the US President has the power to impose his sweeping tariffs, a key part of his economic strategy.

–IANS