Ottawa : The Canada-U.S. trade relationship hit a rough patch on April 8, 2025, as the United States announced plans to impose a 34% duty on Canadian lumber exports, intensifying an already heated tariff war. This follows President Donald Trump’s threat of a 50% tariff on Chinese imports, with Canada now caught in the crossfire of his protectionist policies. The move, set to take effect April 9 unless Canada retaliates or negotiates, threatens to disrupt a vital economic lifeline—lumber exports support thousands of jobs across British Columbia and Ontario.
Canadian leaders are pushing back hard. The federal government has rolled out a “tariffs-are-a-tax” billboard campaign in U.S. cities like Pittsburgh, aiming to sway American public opinion by highlighting the cost to consumers. Prime Minister Mark Carney, in the thick of the 2025 federal election campaign, called the tariffs “unfair and shortsighted,” vowing countermeasures if needed. Analysts warn that higher lumber prices could ripple through the U.S. housing market, a point Canada hopes will pressure Washington to back off.
The timing couldn’t be worse, overlapping with Canada’s election season, set to culminate on April 28. Posts on X show Canadians rallying against perceived U.S. bullying, with one user declaring, “We won’t let Trump dictate our economy!” Others see it as a political boon for Carney’s Liberals, who’ve gained ground in polls by framing the Conservatives as soft on sovereignty. As tensions simmer, this trade spat could shape both economic and electoral outcomes.
