Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Top Stories

Just the Facts: Trump’s 35% Canadian Tariff and Canada’s Response

With August 1 looming, Trump and Carney double down on steel, sovereignty, and electoral strategy.

Just the Facts: Trump’s 35% Canadian Tariff and Canada’s Response

With just days remaining before President Trump’s self-imposed deadline to strike a new trade deal with Canada, no agreement appears imminent.

Getty Images, Andriy Onufriyenko

With just days remaining before President Trump’s self-imposed deadline to strike a new trade deal with Canada, no agreement appears imminent. What began as a tense negotiation has metastasized into a full-blown economic standoff, marked by dueling tariffs, political bravado, and waning diplomatic grace.

On July 16, Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled a sweeping steel tariff package designed to insulate Canada’s domestic industry from global volatility. His remarks were blunt:


“Canada is no longer content to be a passive participant in global steel dynamics. We’re forging a new path—and doing so with steel in our spine.”

This escalation in rhetoric and action marks a turning point. Two countries once bound by mutual interest and proximity are now behaving more like adversaries than allies.

Canada’s Tariff Measures Include:

  • A 25% tariff on steel “melted and poured” in China.
  • Tariff rate quotas (TRQs) capping duty-free access to 50% of 2024 levels for non–FTA countries.
  • A $1 billion CAD innovation fund to modernize domestic steel production.
  • Procurement reforms prioritizing Canadian-origin steel for public infrastructure.

The Trump administration has responded with a blanket 35% tariff on Canadian goods beginning August 1. This is an increase from the previous 25%. While USMCA-compliant products remain exempt, the tariff targets key sectors such as autos, steel, and aluminum. Trump justified the move by accusing Canada of insufficient action on fentanyl trafficking and persistent trade barriers.

Though the final outcome remains unsettled, both countries are already feeling the impact.

  • Tourism and cross-border commerce have slowed dramatically—traffic into New York from Canada is down 21% year-over-year, impacting local economies across the region.
  • In Canada, patriotic campaigns urging consumers to “buy Canadian” have surged in response to rising prices and deteriorating trade relations.

The tariff landscape has shifted dramatically since Trump took office. Prior to 2025, Canada’s tariffs on U.S. goods were largely consistent with WTO and NAFTA norms, focused on select sectors like agriculture, dairy, and poultry under its supply management system. Specifically, prior to January, U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods were:

  • Steel & Aluminum: In 2018, 25% on steel and 10% on aluminum under Section 232 (national security grounds).
  • Softwood Lumber: Longstanding duties tied to recurring disputes.
  • Dairy Restrictions: Applied through NAFTA provisions rather than formal tariffs.

And Canadian tariffs on U.S. goods were primarily:

  • Dairy: Tariffs ranging from 200–300% on milk, cheese, and butter.
  • Poultry & Eggs: High tariffs on chicken, turkey, and egg imports.
  • Grain Products: Modest tariffs, though protective in principle.

These measures were designed not to antagonize, but to preserve domestic stability through managed trade frameworks.

Whether the stability can be maintained as both Trump and Carney maneuver for economic and electoral purposes remains unclear.

Trump’s tariffs serve as a showcase of strength for his base, redirecting attention from domestic challenges while asserting leverage abroad, and Carney, by contrast, blends progressive economic vision with strategic restraint. His assertive yet measured response is designed to defend Canadian interests while preserving diplomatic optionality.

What’s playing out isn’t just a trade dispute. It’s a collision of ideologies, temperaments, and national identities.

The tariff question is quickly becoming a test of the broader North American compact that has stood for decades, touching on not just economics but the fabric of political, military, and corporate interdependence that defines the region.

David Nevins is co-publisher of The Fulcrum and co-founder and board chairman of the Bridge Alliance Education Fund.

Read More

Tariff ‘Mission Accomplished’ Hype Is Just That

In an aerial view, a container ship arrives at the Port of Oakland on Aug. 1, 2025, in Oakland, California.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images/TNS

Tariff ‘Mission Accomplished’ Hype Is Just That

On May 1, 2003, George W. Bush announced, “Major combat operations in Iraq have ended.” He was standing below a giant banner that read, “Mission Accomplished.” At the risk of inviting charges of understatement, subsequent events didn’t cooperate. But it took a while for that to be widely accepted.

We’re in a similar place when it comes to President Trump’s experiment with a new global trading order.

Keep ReadingShow less
Back to School Shopping? Expect Higher Prices, “Invisible” to the Consumer

AI-driven "surveillance pricing" hides the price increases from stressed-out parents.

Getty Images, Isabel Pavia

Back to School Shopping? Expect Higher Prices, “Invisible” to the Consumer

For families with school children, the summer is coming to a close, and it’s time to start thinking about—school shopping! New clothes, shoes, daypacks, and school supplies are topmost of mind, making sure your little Einsteins and Rembrandts are ready to take on the new school year.

But this year, it’s coming with a twist—not only are prices higher in the stores and online, but the price increases are seemingly “invisible” due to deceptive uses of new technologies and what is known as “surveillance pricing.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Celebrating National Black Business Month

National Black Business Month is about correcting an imbalance and recognizing that supporting Black-owned businesses is suitable for everyone.

Getty Images, Tara Moore

Celebrating National Black Business Month

Every August, National Black Business Month rolls around, and for a few weeks, social media lights up with hashtags and well-meaning posts about supporting Black-owned businesses. You'll see lists pop up—restaurants, bookstores, clothing lines—all run by Black entrepreneurs. Maybe your favorite coffee shop puts up a sign, or a big brand launches a campaign. But once the month ends, the noise fades, and for many, it's back to business as usual.

This cycle is familiar. It's easy to mistake visibility for progress or to think that a single purchase is enough. But National Black Business Month is meant to be more than a fleeting moment of recognition. It's a moment to interrogate the systems that got us here and to put our money—and our intent—where our mouths are. In a better world, Black business success would be a given, not a cause for annual celebration.

Keep ReadingShow less
The Blooming Trade: How Colombia’s Cut Flower Industry Fuels America’s Floral Economy

Mural of silleteros who carry traditional wooden frame adorned with elaborate floral arrangements

Credit: Hugo Balta

The Blooming Trade: How Colombia’s Cut Flower Industry Fuels America’s Floral Economy


Medellín, Colombia —
The city of eternal spring once again lived up to its name as Medellín wrapped up the 2025 edition of its iconic Feria de las Flores this week, a ten-day celebration of paisa culture, floral artistry, and community pride. Held from August 1 to 10, the festival featured over 200 events, drawing locals and tourists alike into a vibrant tapestry of tradition, music, and innovation.

At the heart of the Feria was the legendary Desfile de Silleteros, held on August 10. This year, 535 silleteros from Santa Elena paraded through the city with elaborate floral arrangements strapped to their backs—living testaments to Antioquia’s agricultural heritage.

Keep ReadingShow less