Canada - Mexico outrage grows alongside trade war fears

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum have held a call to discuss strengthening ties and economic cooperation in the face of US President Donald Trump’s tariff move, which has drawn global condemnation.

The Trump administration plans to impose levies of 25 percent on goods from Canada, and 10 percent on energy products from the country starting from Tuesday. Goods from Mexico will be subject to tariffs of 25 percent, while imports from China face 10 percent.

Trudeau says his country will respond with matching tariffs on up to 155 billion Canadian dollars (roughly $105 bn) in US imports. Sheinbaum has also ordered retaliatory tariffs, while China promised “countermeasures”, saying the US tariffs seriously violate World Trade Organization rules.

Trump said the potential domestic “pain” caused by the tariffs and retaliatory measures taken against the US will “be worth the price that must be paid”, also railing against critics of his plan, on his platform Truth Social.

(Achintha Madura)