US-Canada trade talks collapse as Washington imposes 50% tariffs and Ottawa vows retaliation

Negotiations between the United States and Canada have collapsed following the expiration of a temporary three-day pause, prompting Washington to implement 50% tariffs on Canadian goods.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced that Ottawa will respond with equivalent, dollar-for-dollar retaliatory surcharges to protect domestic businesses and workers. Carney criticised eleventh-hour demands introduced by the US administration, describing the last-minute modifications as unfair, uneconomic, and undermining the reliability of bilateral agreements. The breakdown follows days of intensive talks in Washington led by Canadian Minister Dominic LeBlanc, which ultimately failed to formalise an initial framework and avert the trade escalation.

Sources: La Tribune, Le Figaro, Le Monde, Le Soir, RTBF Info.