The Canadian Trade Minister, Mary Ng, confirmed that the tariffs intended to be imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump will lead to increased costs for goods for American consumers, emphasizing that Canada will not hesitate to respond if its largest trading partner moves forward with implementing these policies.

In an interview with Bloomberg Television from Singapore on Thursday, Ng stated: “We have been very clear – the tariffs are costly for America. They are unreasonable,” noting that Canada continues to negotiate with the U.S. administration to try to avoid a trade dispute. She explained: “We do not want a trade confrontation, and we do not want to be the initiators of one, but if punitive tariffs are imposed on Canadians and on Canada, we will respond.”

Trump's Threats and New Tariffs

U.S. President Donald Trump had threatened to impose a series of tariffs that could impact trade with Canada and harm its economy. These measures include:

• Imposing a 25% tariff on Canadian imports, which has been temporarily suspended.

• New tariffs on cars, pharmaceuticals, and microchips, as well as including lumber on the targeted list.

These tariffs have been postponed for 30 days after Canada announced the formation of a task force to combat fentanyl and appointed a senior official to oversee these efforts, in a move aimed at easing trade tensions.

Canada's Stance on U.S. Policies

Trump has repeatedly complained about the influx of the narcotic fentanyl into the United States through the Canadian border, as well as the flow of illegal immigrants. However, Ng confirmed that less than 1% of fentanyl in the United States originates from Canada.

During her trip to Asia this week to hold meetings with trade partners, including Australia, the Canadian Trade Minister emphasized the importance of economic relations with the United States, confirming that officials from both countries are making progress in resolving outstanding issues.

Enhancing International Cooperation Amid Trade Tensions

At the same time, Ng emphasized the importance of enhancing cooperation with global trading partners to ensure economic and trade stability. She added: “Defending an international rules-based system, especially in trade, is something we must work hard to maintain in collaboration with our partners.”

This escalation comes at a time when trade relations between Canada and the United States face increasing challenges, making the future path of these negotiations crucial for the future of economic relations between the two countries.