Canadian PM Carney calls Trump’s auto tariffs a ’direct attack’ on his country

Unifor auto workers stand behind Liberal Leader Mark Carney as he speaks during a campaign stop at the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor, Ontario., on March 26, 2025.
| Photo Credit: AP

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Wednesday (March 26, 2025) that U.S. President Donald Trump’s auto tariffs are a “direct attack” on his country and that the trade war is hurting Americans, noting that American consumer confidence is at a multi-year low.

Mr. Trump said earlier Wednesday (March 26, 2025) that he was placing 25% tariffs on auto imports and, to underscore his intention, he stated “This is permanent.”

“This is a very direct attack,” Mr. Carney responded. “We will defend our workers. We will defend our companies. We will defend our country.”

Also Read | Trump says dairy, lumber tariffs on Canada may come soon

Mr. Carney said he needs to see the details of Mr. Trump’s executive order before taking retaliatory measures. He called it unjustified and said he will leave the election campaign to go to Ottawa on Thursday (March 27, 2025) to chair his special Cabinet committee on U.S. relations.

Mr. Carney earlier announced a CA$2 billion ($1.4 billion) “strategic response fund” that will protect Canadian auto jobs affected by Mr. Trump’s tariffs.

Autos are Canada’s second largest export, and Mr.Carney noted it employs 1,25,000 Canadians directly and almost another 5,00,000 in related industries.

Also Read | Trudeau calls Trump’s tariffs ‘very dumb’, says U.S. appeasing Putin while launching trade war against Canada

“Canada will be there for auto workers,” he said.

Mr. Trump previously granted a one-month exemption on his stiff new tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada for U.S. automakers.

The President has plunged the U.S. into a global trade war — all while on-again, off-again new levies continue to escalate uncertainty.

Also Read | Trudeau not willing to lift retaliatory tariffs if Trump leaves any tariffs on Canada

The Conference Board reported Tuesday (March 25, 2025) that its U.S consumer confidence index fell 7.2 points in March to 92.9, the fourth straight monthly decline and its lowest reading since January of 2021.

“His trade war is hurting American consumers and workers and it will hurt more. I see that American consumer confidence is at a multi-year low,” Mr. Carney said earlier while campaigning in Windsor, Ontario ahead of Canada’s April 28 election.

The tax hike on auto imports starting in April means automakers could face higher costs and lower sales.

Also Read | Trump grants one-month exemption for U.S. automakers from new tariffs on imports from Mexico, Canada

Mr. Trump previously 25% tariffs on Canada’s steel and aluminium and is threatening sweeping tariffs on all Canadian products — as well as all of America’s trading partners — on April 2.

“He wants to break us so America can own us,” Mr. Carney said. “And it will never ever happen because we just don’t look out for ourselves we look out for each other.”

Mr. Carney, former two-time central banker, made the earlier comments while campaigning against the backdrop of the Ambassador Bridge, which is considered the busiest U.S.-Canadian border crossing, carrying 25% of all trade between the two countries. It plays an especially important role in auto manufacturing.

Also Read | Canada files WTO complaint against U.S. tariffs

Mr. Carney said the bridge carries CA$140 billion ($98 billion) in goods every year and CA$400 million ($281 million) per day.

“Now those numbers and the jobs and the paychecks that depend on that are in question,” Mr. Carney said. “The relationship between Canada and the United States has changed. We did not change it.”

In the auto sector, parts can go back and forth across the Canada-U.S. border several times before being fully assembled in Ontario or Michigan.

Also Read | Trump doubles down on Canada trade war

Ontario Premier Doug Ford, whose province has the bulk of Canada’s auto industry, said that auto plants on both sides the border will shut simultaneously if the tariffs go ahead.

“President is calling it Liberation Day. I call it Termination Day for American workers. I know President Trump likes tell people ’Your fired!” I didn’t think he meant U.S. auto workers when he said it,” Mr. Ford said.

EXPLAINED | What will be the impact of Trump’s trade war?

Mr. Trump has declared a trade war on his northern neighbour and continues to call for Canada to become the 51st state, a position that has infuriated Canadians.

Canadians booed Mr. Trump repeatedly at a Carney election rally in Kitchener, Ontario.

The new Prime Minister, sworn in March 14, still hasn’t had a phone call with Mr. Trump. It is unusual for a U.S. president and Canadian Prime Minister to go so long without talking after a new leader takes office.

Also Read | Canada announces additional tariffs of $29 billion on U.S. goods

“It would be appropriate that the president and I speak given the action that he has taken. I’m sure that will happen soon,” Mr. Carney said.

Opposition Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre said the tariffs will damage American auto workers just as they will damage Canadian auto workers.

“The message to President Trump should be to knock it off,” Mr. Poilievre said. “He’s changed his mind before. He’s done this twice, puts them on, takes them off. We can suspect that may well happen again.”