President Donald Trump said tariffs on some goods from Canada and Mexico planned for April 2 “could go up,” and would not predict whether the United States will have a recession in 2025. On Fox News Sunday morning, Trump said reciprocal tariffs would go into effect on April 2 and the one-month reprieve granted to Mexico and Canada was a “little bit of a break.” …But Trump has continued to make changes to tariff plans. On Friday, he threatened new tariffs on Canadian lumber and dairy products. Those tariffs could go into effect on Monday. …Meanwhile, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick confirmed Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that Trump’s promised 25% tariffs on steel and aluminum imports will go into effect Wednesday and tariffs on Canadian dairy and lumber products will “start on April 2.” …Lutnick indicated the tariffs will continue until Trump is “comfortable” with how both countries are handling the flow of fentanyl.
Related coverage in:
- CBS News: Canadian ambassador Kirsten Hillman on “Face the Nation”
- Washington Examiner: Lutnick signals lumber tariffs on Canada not before April
US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick signaled he doesn’t expect a reprieve on 25% tariffs for steel and aluminum imports scheduled to take effect on Wednesday. The levies, ordered by U.S. President Donald Trump in February, include imports from Canada and Mexico — which are among the top foreign suppliers — and apply to finished metal products, too. U.S. steelmakers have urged Trump to resist exemptions to the tariffs, which risk hitting US companies that use aluminum and steel. Administration officials have said the policy is aimed at cracking down on efforts by countries including Russia and China to bypass existing duties. Last week, Trump imposed sweeping tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico but later walked back some of the changes — offering a one-month reprieve to automakers and then expanding that pause to all imported goods covered by the free-trade agreement between the US, Canada and Mexico.
Let me propose that we respond to President Donald Trump and his supporters in a more direct fashion: by wiping them out. No, not with violent force, or vain attempts at economic annihilation, but in a way that is more, shall we say, fundamental. It would be shockingly easy to empty America’s store shelves of toilet paper. A weeks-long bog-roll panic could be provoked, right now, with only a few words from a Canadian leader. The tissue of lies behind the trade war would be wiped away, exposing the backside of Mr. Trump’s bizarre trade claims in a way that would be far more noticeable than any retaliatory tariff. …Supply chains for the rolls of tissue are so constrained, lacking in stored reserves and Canada-dependent, Kruger CEO Dino Bianco explained, that it would only take a tiny push to cause panic buying and the anxiety-inducing sound of empty cardboard tubes rattling on bathroom spindles. …It sends a clearer message: Canadians believe in trade. We want trade. And if you deprive us of it, we know how to hit you where it really hurts. [Globe and Mail subscription required for full access]
President Donald Trump on Thursday signed executive actions that delay for nearly one month tariffs on all products from Mexico and Canada that are covered by the USMCA free trade treaty, a significant walkback of the administration’s signature economic plan that has rattled markets, businesses and consumers. The executive actions follow a discussion Trump held Thursday with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and negotiations between Canadian and Trump administration officials. …Energy from Canada, however, is not included in the USMCA, the White House official said. So that lower 10% tariff is expected to remain in place… but the Trump reduced the tariff on Canadian potash to 10%. …Canada will now pause their planned second round of tariffs on over 4,000 US goods until April 2, Canadian Minister of Finance Dominic LeBlanc said.
GENEVA — Canada has requested consultations with the United States on “unjustified tariffs” at the 
Canadian homeowners can expect to face higher premiums when they renew their home insurance, as new U.S. tariffs add pressure on property and casualty insurers by raising the cost of building materials and appliances. …The tariffs placed by Mr. Trump on building materials such as aluminum, steel and lumber will add extra costs for insurers to the goods used in replacing and repairing homes, cars and businesses, Brett Weltman, spokesperson for the Insurance Bureau of Canada, said. “While we don’t yet have a precise picture of the scope of these effects, over time, tariffs will hurt consumers and families on both sides of the border,” he said. …Bill Premdas, executive director of KPMG’s Canadian insurance practice, said a prolonged tariff battle with the U.S. could put pressure on claims costs as many of the resources used to rebuild and repair homes are covered by cross-border trade agreements. [Globe and Mail subscription required for full access to this story]
WASHINGTON — A day into Donald Trump’s North American trade war, the U.S. president remained adamant that tariffs would benefit America even as a key member of his team has floated that a compromise could materialize Wednesday. Trump addressed a joint session of Congress Tuesday night by making a case for his massive tariff agenda. …Ottawa introduced immediate 25% retaliatory tariffs. …Following a second day of sharp decline, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said… the government was looking to “work something out” in a deal that could be announced on Wednesday. …Lutnick tied the deal to the Canada-U.S.-Mexico agreement, which was negotiated under the first Trump administration to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement. …Trump also ordered 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports into the United States on March 12… m[and he] signed an executive order to implement “reciprocal tariffs” starting April 2. Other tariff targets include automobiles, copper, lumber and agricultural products.
This year’s COFI convention will tackle the most pressing challenge facing BC’s forest sector – predictable access to fibre. Without this, BC’s global competitiveness and the family-supporting jobs forestry provides remain at risk. There is a path forward. Within the sustainable Allowable Annual Cut there are opportunities to surpass a minimum target of 45 million cubic meters of harvest while maintaining environmental stewardship. Achieving these outcomes will require changes to BC Timber Sales (BCTS), innovative approaches to forest landscape planning, stronger partnerships with First Nations, and community-led solutions. Join us for a solutions-oriented discussion, featuring distinguished experts: George Abbott, Treaty Commissioner, Former BC Cabinet Minister & Member, BC Timber Sales Review Task Force; David Elstone, Managing Director, Spar Tree Group; Makenzie Leine, Vice President, Business Development, A&A Trading; Jennifer Gunter, Executive Director, BC Community Forest Association; moderated by Michael Armstrong, VP and Chief Forester at COFI.
By easing the current restrictions on timber harvesting and natural gas development, B.C. Premier David Eby can reduce B.C.’s reliance on U.S. markets and improve affordability… This policy shift would create jobs, help address the cost-of-living crisis and insulate B.C. from U.S. trade volatility by diversifying its trading partners. Natural resources, namely forestry, energy, mining and agriculture, make up about 75 per cent of B.C.’s exports as of November 2024. …Yet both sectors face government-imposed constraints, from caps on logging to opposition to pipelines. Since forestry and energy dominate B.C.’s exports, robust growth depends on expanding these sectors. B.C.’s forestry industry has long been a global leader, but policies restricting access to fibre are undermining its viability. The annual allowable cut and a cap on how much timber can be harvested, along with actual cuts, have been reduced in recent years due to environmental concerns and pressure from within the NDP’s base.
VICTORIA – The United Steelworkers union (USW) acknowledges the difficult position facing the B.C. government in its 2025 budget and applauds the thoughtful, diligent focus on priorities by Minister of Finance Brenda Bailey. U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats and the imposition of tariffs have created uncertainty for important exports, including lumber, copper, zinc and other essential products. …“Workers are calling for action to grow and diversify the economy and supply chains, reducing dependence on the U.S. market while ensuring jobs in mining, critical minerals and processing, forestry and lumber manufacturing,” said Scott Lunny, USW Western Canada Director. …B.C. should prepare for a wave of layoffs in the forest sector due to rising duties. …The USW is urging the B.C. government to increase the supply of fibre and streamline the permitting process in the logging sector to support the primary industry and facilitate ongoing efforts to expand manufacturing, Mass Timber and other value-added industries.
Thousands of US companies opened for business on Friday with no idea whether they had to pay tariffs. …In imposing the tariffs, Mr. Trump misused the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Congress passed IEEPA to give presidents tools to respond quickly to emergencies like wars or terrorist attacks. …IEEPA has never been used for tariffs, and courts should rule that it can’t be. …US trade laws require the president to identify and investigate specific trade practices that harm the U.S. and then propose remedies, such as tariffs or negotiations. A president may impose tariffs on specific goods if fact-finding determines that imports threaten US national security. Mr. Trump’s reasons for imposing tariffs on Canada don’t appear to satisfy these standards. …Faced with Mr. Trump’s tariff threats, Canadian, Mexican and European officials have indicated that they are open to collective action against China, the world’s biggest exporter and a major source of US trade deficits. [to access the full story, a WSJ subscription is required]
