Canada has leverage in this trade fight, but economists warn it comes with a cost

Source: CBC Politics
Date: 2026-08-30 08:00:00.0
Tags: [National, Trade, Economy, Energy, Resources, Defence]

In response to the Trump administration imposing 50 per cent tariffs on approximately $27 billion worth of Canadian goods, Canadian federal officials and economists are weighing various economic levers, including export taxes and quotas on energy and potash, where Canadian commodities account for 63 per cent of U.S. oil imports and 80 per cent of potash imports. Additional retaliatory options discussed include restricting American access, altering defense procurement such as the F-35 fighter jet program, divesting from U.S. treasury bonds held by Canadian entities valued at $459.6 billion USD, and implementing non-tariff measures like the Digital Services Tax. While Prime Minister Mark Carney and industry minister Mélanie Joly have enacted $28 billion in retaliatory tariffs and paused negotiations over trade disputes, economists warn that aggressive retaliatory measures could inflict greater short- and long-term economic damage on Canada than on the United States.