It’s Canada Day, a day of parties and celebrations of all things Canadian, but this year, the festivities may be eclipsed by concerns over the escalating trade war with the United States.
Punitive levies on dozens of American products in retaliation for U-S tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum are set to kick in today and will impact things such as ketchup, coffee and even playing cards — more than 60 consumer goods adding up to 16.6 billion dollars.
Lawmakers in Pennsylvania, Ohio and other states where many of the products come from have expressed concerns about the impact on jobs.
WATCH: ‘We’ve been very nice to Canada’: White House reacts to retaliatory tariffs
Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland told a Commons committee two weeks ago that government officials worked hard on the list of products facing tariffs so there would be a minimal impact on Canadians.
Meanwhile, the Luxembourg-based company Tenaris, which makes steel pipes, has announced it’s laying off 40 workers at its mill in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario in response to the U-S tariffs.
President Donald Trump has defended his government’s tariff policy — referring it to a game the U-S will win.