Fact Check: Canada started the tariff war with the US

Fact Check: "Canada started the tariff war with the US"

What We Know

The claim that "Canada started the tariff war with the US" is misleading. The recent trade tensions between the United States and Canada were initiated by the U.S. government under President Donald Trump, who imposed significant tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico beginning on February 1, 2025. According to a fact sheet from the White House, these tariffs included a 25% additional tariff on most imports from Canada, justified by the U.S. government as a measure to combat illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

In response to these tariffs, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced retaliatory tariffs on approximately CA$30 billion worth of U.S. goods, which would escalate if the U.S. tariffs continued. This sequence of events indicates that the U.S. initiated the trade conflict, not Canada, which was responding to the U.S. actions (Wikipedia).

Analysis

The assertion that Canada started the tariff war does not align with the timeline of events. The U.S. tariffs were a unilateral decision made by President Trump, aimed at addressing perceived national security threats and trade imbalances. The tariffs were described as a tool to leverage economic pressure on Canada and Mexico to comply with U.S. demands regarding border security and drug trafficking (fact sheet).

Furthermore, historical context shows that trade disputes between the U.S. and Canada have often been initiated by U.S. policies. For instance, previous tariff disputes, such as the softwood lumber tariffs, were also initiated by the U.S. government (Al Jazeera). The retaliatory measures taken by Canada in response to U.S. tariffs are typical in trade relations, where affected countries often seek to protect their economic interests.

The sources used to support this claim, such as the fact sheet from the White House and Wikipedia, provide a clear narrative that places the responsibility for the initiation of the tariff war on the U.S. government. The reliability of these sources is generally high, with the White House fact sheet being an official government document and Wikipedia providing a well-sourced overview of the events (Wikipedia, New York Times).

Conclusion

The claim that "Canada started the tariff war with the US" is False. The evidence clearly indicates that the U.S. government initiated the tariff imposition, which led to retaliatory actions from Canada. The sequence of events demonstrates that Canada was responding to U.S. tariffs rather than initiating the conflict.