Donald Trump is poised to lift tariffs on some Canadian products as Republicans in border states lobby for relief from trade actions that have put them in a shaky political position ahead of November’s midterms.

Maine Republican Sen. Susan Collins said on Friday that the Trump administration will scrap tariffs on some paper and plastic products, refrigeration and packaging equipment, agricultural machinery and seaweed and algae products, among others, after she relayed how damaging these levies have been for consumers and businesses in her state.

Trump hit these products with a 50 per cent tariff in August, apparently retaliating for Canada’s countermeasures on some U.S. goods that were imposed after the president first launched his trade war last year.

  • Mantzy81@aussie.zone
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    10 hours ago

    If I was the Canadian producer I’d be saying “price went up, birch”

    Note: wanted to say “bitch” but autocorrect chose a funnier and more appropriate wood-based option so I left it in.

  • N0t_5ure@lemmy.world
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    13 hours ago

    Collins said the Canadian products that are getting a tariff reprieve are “essential” to some Maine businesses and farms and cannot be easily replaced with U.S. alternatives.

    She said, for example, Maine’s blueberry growers rely on Canadian-made specialized harvesting boxes that work with existing processing equipment. Plus, a U.S. supplier of cardboard totes widely used in the agricultural sector recently stopped making that particular product, “leaving producers with no choice but to turn to Canada,” she said.

    So Trump f’d things up, and now that consequences are in the offing, he’s going to try to pull back a bit. Lol. If I were a Canadian seller of these items that are getting tariff relief, I’d jack the price up 25%. They have to buy because they don’t have a better option, and the price would still be lower than when the tariffs applied.

    • deadbeef79000@lemmy.nz
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      12 hours ago

      25%? Just double it. They literally have no choice.

      Or is that too much free market freedom for the US?

  • Malica@lemmy.zip
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    10 hours ago

    Bitch thinks this will go over better than the road salt and she’s mistaken.