By The Associated Press
Canada struck back at U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday with tariffs on about $20 billion worth of U.S. goods, in response to the latest round of tariffs on Canada. The outcome could resonate far beyond Canada, showing other governments whether a smaller U.S. ally can withstand Trump’s economic pressure.
Trump’s threats against Canadian jetmaker Bombardier puts thousands of American jobs at risk
Canadian jetmaker Bombardier is responding with a reality check to Trump’s threats to ban U.S. purchases unless it makes the planes in the United States.
The manufacturer of private jets is noting that its wings and many other components are made in America, with a supply chain that supports tens of thousands of jobs with about 2,800 companies across 47 U.S. states. The statement from Bombardier says the American aerospace industry is already a “clear winner on trade and exports.”
More than 1,000 of those jobs are in Kansas. A statement from Republican Sen. Jerry Moran says he’s reached out to make sure the Trump administration understands how important the jetmaker is to the Kansas economy.
US tourism groups want to win Canadian visitors back. A testy trade war isn’t helping
Appeals from American tourism organizations seemed to be everywhere Josh Loewen looked over the last year. Billboards and banners proclaimed a state or city’s love for Canada. Online and social media ads offered special deals for travelers from north of the border.
As a Vancouver resident and marketing executive himself, Loewen said he understands the conciliatory overtures. The number of Canadians traveling to the United States plunged after Trump returned to office with remarks about making Canada the 51st state. The acrimonious trade war between the two countries now threatens to reinforce this informal boycott.
But the bilateral rift has not stopped state and local tourism officials and popular destinations like Graceland from trying to persuade Canadian visitors to return.
The outreach is happening at the national level, too. Brand USA, the U.S. tourism industry’s marketing organization, is bringing its Travel Week trade-event series to Canada for the first time in October, expanding and rebranding an earlier program known as Canada Connect.
What to know about Canada’s escalating trade war with the US as Carney retaliates with tariffs
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says U.S. demands could hollow out key Canadian industries and limit the country’s independence, and Trump’s threats to Canadian sovereignty have rallied the public behind him.
“Carney and Canada have become symbolic of resistance to him,” Canadian historian Robert Bothwell said. “And what he’ll want to do is make an example of Carney and Canada and theoretically terrify everybody else while in fact showing them that they need to remove themselves even further from the United States.”
The tariffs hit hundreds of American products, including steel, aluminum, cheese, appliances, clothing, cosmetics and farm equipment, at rates of 15%, 25% or 50%.