Canada Tariffs: Obama Mocks Trade Fight Ahead of Midterms
The former president spoke in Cleveland as Ottawa signaled no agreement would be reached before the Nov. 3 vote.
By Vanessa Lopez ·
American shoppers could see relief if tariffs on some Canadian goods are lifted, but no agreement is in place yet. Former U.S. president Barack Obama ridiculed the administration's tariff policy at a rally in Cleveland, Ohio, on Saturday. He directed his remarks at the trade fight with Canada. "The big trade war he's starting now is with that well-known evil empire: Canada," Obama said.
Obama described the two countries as long-standing allies. He joked about what Canada provides the United States. "These are the people who gave us maple syrup and Martin Short," he said. He called Canadians "our friendly neighbours to the north" and asked why Donald Trump would "pick a fight with them." He also said, "They're the nicest people."
Higher costs from tariffs have hurt Republican prospects in the upcoming midterms, particularly in border states, Obama said. He stated that the tariffs have had the negative effect many expected. American consumers are bearing the brunt of rising costs, he said. Obama is campaigning for Democratic candidates ahead of the Nov. 3 vote.
The two countries have exchanged retaliatory tariffs since Trump launched his levy campaign last year. The measures were meant to combat alleged fentanyl trafficking and trade imbalances. Trade talks between the two sides broke down in August. On Friday, Trump announced that he plans to lift tariffs on some Canadian products.
Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc spoke on CBC's Power & Politics. Ottawa does not expect a deal before the Nov. 3 vote, he said. Trump has targeted Canada in campaign rally speeches. At a stop in Highland Heights, Kentucky, on Oct. 17, he said, "At some point, we're making a deal that's gonna be amazing." He added: "But for years we've lost billions and billions of dollars, and they just felt so emboldened."
The crowd cheered when Trump called former prime minister Justin Trudeau a "loser." He then spoke about Trudeau's successor, Mark Carney. "Your current guy's good … he's a nice guy, but he's not nice when it comes to trade," Trump said. "They're learning and they're suffering." Trade talks between the two sides broke down in August.
Source: CBC News
