Canada’s Prime Minister has declared that the close relationship with the United States is “over”, following the implementation of wide-ranging tariffs on car imports by Donald Trump, which has sparked extreme criticism from governments around the globe, including in Tokyo, Berlin, and Paris. These opponents of the tariffs are contemplating retaliatory actions.
Mark Carney notified the Canadian public that Trump has fundamentally changed the nature of their relationship, pointing out that even with any future trade agreements, there would be “no turning back” due to the permanent alteration caused by these actions.
According to Carney, “The old relationship that we had with the United States, which was based on the continuous integration of our economies and collaboration in security and military matters, is no longer in existence.”
Consequences of this decision include flight bookings between Canada and the US that have plummeted by 70% due to the ongoing tariff dispute. Carney has announced his intention to speak with provincial leaders and corporate executives on Friday to coordinate a response, with retaliatory measures expected within the following week.
“Our pursuit in response to these latest tariffs is to defend, to protect, and to strengthen,” declared Carney. “We will challenge the US tariffs by enacting our own retaliatory trade actions, which will have a significant impact in the United States and minimal impact here in Canada.”
The impacts of these tariffs extend internationally, with trade officials in Berlin and Paris emphasizing their commitment to free trade as a foundation for European Union prosperity. Other countries, like South Korea, are preparing emergency responses, and China’s foreign ministry denounced the move as contrary to World Trade Organization rules.
The economic and diplomatic ramifications signal a significant shift in international trade and economic partnerships, affecting not only Canada but numerous other countries engaged in trade with the United States.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/27/us-allies-worldwide-decry-trump-car-tariffs-and-threaten-retaliation
