The United States has suspended, on Monday, February 3, the taxation of customs duties against Canada for 30 days, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced after a call with President Donald Trump. “Canada makes new commitments. We will appoint a tsar responsible for the fentanyl issue, add Mexican cartels to the list of terrorist entities […] And to launch, with the United States, a joint strike force on organized crime, fentanyl traffic and money laundering, “the head of the Canadian government said.
This represents a new investment of $ 200 million Canadian, he said. He also recalled that Canada had already announced in recent weeks a border plan of $ 1.3 billion Canadian dollars which includes the implementation of new helicopters, new technologies and more staff “. Finally, “nearly 10,000 agents are and will be on the ground to protect our border,” added the head of government.
Donald Trump “very satisfied”
“Canada has agreed to guarantee that we have a secure northern border and finally end the fatal scourge of drugs like fentanyl, which pour into our country,” said US President Donald Trump on his Truth Social Platform Donald Trump , saying himself “very satisfied”. According to official figures for American border services, less than 1 % of the fentanyl seized in the United States last year arrived from Canada.
The number of incoming migrants in the United States by the northern border has increased, but continues to represent barely 6 % of the total in 2023. Canada estimates that customs tariffs are likely to harm the competitiveness of North America, D ‘Increase prices for all consumers and threaten millions of jobs.
Ontario returns to his threats
The Canadian Province of Ontario, the country’s economic heart, for its part, has given up banning American businesses from public contracts, after the announcement by Donald Trump. “We have temporarily avoided customs tariffs which would have seriously damaged our economy, giving the negotiations time and to allow the spirits to calm down,” said Doug Ford, the Prime Minister of Ontario.
In the morning, he had announced to ban the American companies of public tenders and canceled a provincial contract of 100 million Canadian dollars (66 million euros) with Starlink, the company controlled by billionaire Elon Musk, great ally of American president, Donald Trump.
“Make no mistake, Canada and Ontario continue to face the threat of customs tariffs. We are already feeling the impact,” said Doug Ford. “As long as our commercial relationship with our greatest trading partner is uncertain, we will continue to see many potential frozen projects and already in progress projects”.
Donald Trump announced on Saturday the implementation from Tuesday of customs duties of 25 % on all Canadian products, with the exception of hydrocarbons, taxed at 10 %, causing an immediate replica of Canada.