According to David MacNaughton, Canada’s ambassador to the United States, Canada is reportedly updating the list of US products it will target with retaliatory duties as tariff relief talks have not progressed. The updated list will reportedly be released within the next week.
MacNaughton said he expects “a significant number” of agricultural products to be on the new list, and while he said it was too early to name specific products, he said some in Canada have called for retaliatory tariffs against apples, pork, ethanol, and wine.
The ambassador said the goal is “not to escalate anything.” The new list is intended to replace previous counter-tariffs that Canada waived under its exemption programs. Canada vowed to impose dollar-for-dollar retaliation when the Section 232 tariffs were announced last year, but has since waived more than $214 million worth of tariffs on US products. Canadian officials said more than $750 million in US goods (over CAD 1 billion) could be subjected to new retaliatory tariffs.
The continued existence of the Section 232 tariffs against Canadian and Mexican steel and aluminum imports is reportedly holding up ratification of the new USMCA trade deal in all three countries.
“There are no negotiations at the present moment,” MacNaughton said, referring to 232 relief talks. “There have been what I would describe as restating positions.”