President Donald Trump will lift 50% tariffs on certain Canadian goods starting October 30 to aid Republican Senate candidates ahead of the midterm elections.
The White House announced on Friday that exemptions would apply to products including plywood sheets, some paper products, certain machinery, refrigeration equipment, and packing crates. New tariffs will simultaneously be imposed on carpets, certain valves, and waste products. The changes follow pressure from Republican Senator Susan Collins, who is in a tight reelection race in Maine against Democratic challenger Troy Jackson.
Collins said she had lobbied Trump’s top trade negotiator, Jamieson Greer, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, citing the toll tariffs were taking on Maine’s farmers, businesses, and growers. She stated that many in her state rely on specialized Canadian equipment and packaging materials unavailable from US suppliers. Collins added she had secured exemptions for nine product categories, including blueberries, potatoes, apples, and seaweed, and would push for broader trade relief.
The tariff adjustments come as Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney remain deadlocked in a trade dispute that escalated in August. Carney said Canada was open to a deal but would not rush, stating, “We could sign it this afternoon if the US were there. If it has to be months from now or longer than that, or another administration, before a proper deal comes into place, we will do that.”
Trump told reporters on Friday that “Canada is working very hard to make a deal with us.” The White House framed the tariff changes as an effort to “offset the burden to US commerce while better serving the public interest” and to address “Canada’s discriminatory treatment of US commerce.”
