Prime Minister’s Office responds to Trump doubling steel, aluminum tariffs

U.S. President Donald Trump issued a proclamation Tuesday, doubling tariffs on steel and aluminum imports from all countries, including Canada.

According to the proclamation, Trump says, “the increased tariffs will more effectively counter foreign countries that continue to offload low-priced, excess steel and aluminum in the United States market.”

The tariffs are set to take effect on Wednesday.

In a statement to CTV News Tuesday night, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) called the additional tariffs on steel and aluminum “unlawful and unjustified.”

“Canada’s new government is engaged in intensive and live negotiations to have these and other tariffs removed as part of a new economic and security partnership with the United States,” the statement said.

The PMO added that every dollar collected from Canada’s retaliatory tariffs on over $90 billion, before remissions, will go to “supporting Canadian workers and businesses impacted by the harmful U.S. tariffs.”

“We are fighting to get the best deal for Canada, and we will take the time necessary, but no longer,” the PMO said.

In a press conference early Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt was asked why Trump decided to double the tariffs despite U.S. leaders asking for more economic stability.

“You also have U.S. business leaders begging to meet with the president and begging to come to the White House to talk to him because they know he is the negotiator in chief,” Leavitt said.

The only country not affected by the increased tariffs is the United Kingdom, whose rates will remain at 25 per cent.

Trump made the announcement last Friday during a rally in Pittsburgh, Penn., saying he planned on increasing tariffs on imported steel and aluminum from 25 per cent to 50 per cent.

Canada is the largest steel and aluminum supplier to the U.S. Canada exported $15.9 billion worth of aluminum to the U.S., according to the United Steelworkers (USW) union.

These tariffs will have a devastating impact on workers and companies, says USW national director for Canada Marty Warren.

“We are on the verge of collapse in some places,” Warren told CTV News.

“We cannot access the American market at 50 per cent tariffs,” he said, adding that nearly 65 per cent of Canadian steel goes to the U.S. market.

Warren says changes to Canada’s retaliatory measures may offset the impacts of Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs, but adds that in two to three weeks, should the tariffs remain for that period, some steel companies will be forced to idle their operations.

“Again, if we can count on provincial governments and others focusing on Canadian-made products, we have a better chance to tread water to get through this, keep our head above water and be successful on the other side,” he said.

LeBlanc has ‘positive conversation’ with Lutnick

With less than 24 hours until the U.S. is set to increase tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum, Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc is calling his latest conversation with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick “positive.”

“Every time we sit down with Secretary Lutnick and his officials, we deepen our understanding in terms of the concerns they have around many of these issues, and it’s an opportunity for us also to explain to them our firm position in terms of these tariffs being negative for the Canadian economy and Canadian workers,” LeBlanc told reporters moments after Tuesday’s meeting in Washington.

“I’m hopeful that we can get to the best outcome for Canadians,” LeBlanc added.

LeBlanc – who has been in Washington several times in recent weeks to work out a trade agreement with the U.S. – was also joined by Canada’s Ambassador to the U.S. Kirsten Hillman.

Asked whether Canada will get an exemption to steel and aluminum tariffs, Hillman would not answer directly.

“Canada’s position is that these tariffs are not justified,” Hillman said, pointing to the levies and how they contravene the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

Ford believes trade deal with U.S. ‘getting closer’

On Tuesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford met behind closed doors with new U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra at Queen’s Park, saying the two had a “positive meeting.”

Asked whether Canada and the U.S. can reach a new trade deal, Ford said he thinks the two countries are “getting closer.”

“I’m confident that we’ll come out on the other end in fairly good shape, and that’s what we need to do. We need to bring the temperature down. We both agree on that,” Ford told reporters.

Following the meeting, Hoekstra spoke at a special event in Toronto, co-hosted by the Empire Club of Canada and the American Chamber of Commerce in Canada.

When asked about the state of the Canada-U.S. relationship, Hoekstra said he believes a trade deal can be done “quickly.”

“Your prime minister, my president, they can do this quickly if they have the will and the direction to do it,” Hoekstra told the audience.

“As long as they’re focused on what I’ve talked about, prosperity, security and safety. As a leader who wouldn’t want those three things,” he added.

In an interview with CTV Power Play back in May, Hoekstra shared a similar sentiment, saying he’s confident Canada can reach a deal with the U.S. to secure the “lowest tariffs of any country.”

With files from CTV News’ Rachel Aiello