Mark Carney has claimed that his country is ready for a fight “when someone else drops the gloves”
Canada’s incoming Prime Minister, Mark Carney, has vowed to fight and win the trade war with the United States, warning that retaliatory tariffs will remain in place until “Americans show us respect.”
Tensions escalated in February when US President Donald Trump announced 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico, along with 10% duties on Chinese imports.
Initially delayed for a month, the measures took effect last Tuesday, with exemptions granted to automakers and goods covered by the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) until April. Ottawa responded by imposing tariffs on $30 billion worth of American products, with an additional $125 billion in duties set for next month.
In his inaugural speech on Sunday, Carney – who won the Liberal Party leadership with 85.9% of the vote – blasted Trump for “attacking Canadian families” with “unjustified tariffs” and accused him of trying to “destroy the Canadian way of life.”
“There’s someone who’s trying to weaken our economy. Donald Trump. Donald Trump has put unjustified tariffs on what we build, on what we sell, on how we earn a living,” he said.
“The Canadian government is rightly retaliating with our own tariffs that will have maximum impact in the United States and minimum impact here in Canada. My government will keep our tariffs on until the Americans show us respect,” he added.
Indirectly addressing Trump’s suggestion that his country should become the 51st US state, Carney declared, “Canada never, ever will be part of America in any way, shape, or form.”
“We didn’t ask for this fight, but Canadians are always ready when someone else drops the gloves. So, Americans should make no mistake… In trade, as in hockey, Canada will win,” he said, while cautioning that “this victory will not be easy.”
The ruling Liberal Party called a leadership election after Justin Trudeau resigned in January, following low approval ratings linked to inflation, a housing crisis, and economic struggles. Carney defeated four candidates, including former Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, arguing he was the only one capable of handling the crisis.
Before entering politics, he advised Trudeau on economic policy and served as Governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England. He will be sworn in as prime minister in the coming days.
Meanwhile, Trump has confirmed that the tariffs will take effect on April 2, calling the delay “a little bit of a break.” Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated on NBC’s Meet the Press that levies on steel and aluminum will begin Wednesday, while duties on Canadian dairy and lumber will follow.
Lutnick said the restrictions would remain until Trump is “comfortable” with how Canada and Mexico are handling the flow of fentanyl into the US. White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett described the measures as “a drug war, not a trade war.”
