Prime Minister Mark Carney released a statement just past midnight on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to increase a tariff on Canadian goods to 35 per cent.

“While the Canadian government is disappointed by this action, we remain committed to [the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement], which is the world’s second-largest free trade agreement by trading volume,” the statement read. 

“The U.S. application of CUSMA means that the U.S. average tariff rate on Canadian goods remains one of its lowest for all of its trading partners. Other sectors of our economy — including lumber, steel, aluminum and automobiles — are, however, heavily impacted by U.S. duties and tariffs.” 

Border security improvements

Carney’s statement also outlined all the work Canada has been doing to crack down on fentanyl and increase border security.

“Canada accounts for only one per cent of U.S. fentanyl imports and has been working intensively to further reduce these volumes,” he said. 

“Canada’s government is making historic investments in border security to arrest drug traffickers, take down transnational gangs and end migrant smuggling.”

Negotiations ongoing

Trump told NBC News Thursday evening that he was open to further discussions with Canada, adding that he may even speak with Carney later in the night.

Carney’s office would not confirm that a call was placed to the White House, and told CBC News it is not confirming any details about the ongoing negotiations.

In a separate executive order on Thursday, Trump hit dozens of countries around the world with new across-the-board tariff rates ranging from 15 to 41 per cent.

After speaking with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, Trump gave Mexico a 90-day extension of its current tariff regime, despite having previously threatened to raise the rate effective Friday.  

Tariffs remain ‘unjustified,’ says Poilievre

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre took to social media Thursday evening, calling the tariffs “unjustified” and saying his party continues to hold out hope for a deal to end all tariffs. 

“That means zero tariffs on our steel, aluminum, softwood, autos, energy, agriculture and everything else,” he wrote on the social media platform X.

Pierre Poilievre

@PierrePoilievre

Conservatives continue to hold out hope for a deal to end all U.S. tariffs on Canada. That means zero tariffs on our steel, aluminum, softwood, autos, energy, agriculture and everything else. That is the deal Canada had before and the Prime Minister should accept nothing short of that. We must stand our ground and put Canada first. Conservatives continue to stand ready to work with all parties to end these unjustified U.S. tariffs. We must also take back control of our economic future by breaking our dependence on the U.S. We call on the Liberals to repeal anti-development laws, and cut taxes on work, energy, investment and home building to make our economy strong, self-reliant and sovereign.

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