U.S. President Donald Trump’s planned 50 per cent tariffs on a range of Canadian goods have intensified trade tensions between the two countries, with negotiations continuing just days before the measures are due to take effect.
Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley said Friday that the tariff threat should act as a “wake-up call” for Canada and encourage the country to make changes. Speaking at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines, Grassley suggested that Trump may be using the proposed tariffs as leverage during ongoing negotiations.
Although Grassley remains a strong supporter of Trump’s political agenda, he has also repeatedly defended the importance of free trade. He said Canada and the United States should be able to engage in difficult negotiations without allowing their disagreements to damage the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement, known as CUSMA.
Grassley stressed that the current discussions should not become an attempt to undermine the trilateral trade agreement. His comments come as Canadian officials have stepped up negotiations with their American counterparts in an effort to prevent the new tariffs from taking effect.
Trump signed an executive order imposing 50 per cent tariffs on a range of Canadian products, with the measures scheduled to begin on August 19. With only two business days remaining, both sides are under increasing pressure to reach an agreement and prevent further disruption to trade and industries on both sides of the border.
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