The new 50% customs tariffs imposed by Donald Trump on many Canadian products surprised more than one, but it is a calculated gesture on the sidelines of the negotiations on the revision of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), according to a specialist in international politics.
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The American president first set the table with these new tariffs by threatening to impose customs duties on Canada because of the pollution created by forest fires.
“The exit on the smoke was a way of creating a context,” explained associate member of the Raoul-Dandurand Chair Guillaume Lavoie, in an interview with LCN on Monday.
After running into the Supreme Court with his “Liberation Day” tariffs, Donald Trump is trying again, this time by banking on what he considers to be a discriminatory gesture on the part of Canada.
“We see a bit of the bad faith that accompanies the thing, because the elements that the United States absolutely needs – energy and potash – are not covered by these tariffs,” underlines Guillaume Lavoie. The war in Iran will raise prices everywhere. Tariffs are a disguised tax. »
• Also listen to this podcast episode taken from Alexandre Dubé’s show, broadcast on QUB platforms and simultaneously on 99.5 FM Montréal:
“The goal here is really to target things that are also domestic policy, for example dairy products. At the end of that, it means, politically, the importance of satisfying Wisconsin,” he adds.
Rather than immediately imposing his tariffs, the American president indicated that they would only be in effect around mid-August, i.e. 30 days after announcing them.
“It’s the Trump method: I announce the catastrophe to you and then I expect you to come and beg that it doesn’t happen,” summarizes associate member of the Raoul-Dandurand Chair.
“For Trump, tariff policy is a policy of massive negotiation, of hyperpressure against Canada,” he adds.
Canada will now have to try to convince Donald Trump to back down by putting pressure on American senators, representatives, governors and commercial players, believes the international politics specialist.
To see the full interview, watch the video above.
