After negotiations collapsed in August, President Donald Trump imposed 50% tariffs on about $20 billion of Canadian goods. Ottawa answered with tariffs on roughly the same value of US imports. Trump then threatened 50% duties on Canadian cars, trucks and parts from January. Canada is one of America’s closest allies and remains deeply tied to the US economy, which still takes nearly 70%of its exports. Yet the relationship has reached the point where Prime Minister Mark Carney describes the dispute as a trade war.
Canada is not part of the Global South, but its treatment carries a clear lesson for governments that have far less political protection in Washington. If a treaty ally and major trading partner can face sudden tariff escalation, demands touching its future trade agreements and pressure over domestic policy, other states have good reason to reduce their exposure.