In brief
In a last‑minute shift ahead of the 2026 U.S. midterm elections, the Trump administration has lifted 50% tariffs on a range of Canadian goods, including plywood, paper, machinery and refrigeration equipment, while imposing new duties on carpets and waste products. The move follows lobbying by Maine Senator Susan Collins, who argues the exemptions will aid the state’s agricultural sector and the broader U.S.‑Canada trade relationship. Canada has already introduced counter‑tariffs, and both sides say negotiations are ongoing. With the elections on the horizon, the tariff change may influence voter sentiment and pressure the administration to pursue a comprehensive trade deal. The decision underscores the ongoing trade standoff and the political stakes surrounding it.
Trump lifts 50% tariffs on certain Canadian goods as elections approach
President Donald Trump announced on Friday the removal of a 50 % tariff on a list of Canadian products that were subject to U.S. duties since August. The change, effective 30 Oct, covers plywood sheets, some paper products, certain machinery and refrigeration equipment.
The decision follows a public statement by Republican Senator Susan Collins of Maine, who has long urged the administration to ease duties that she said hurt the state’s blueberry, potato, apple and seaweed farmers.
The tariffs were first imposed on 20 bn USD ($15 bn) of Canadian goods after trade talks collapsed in August, with Washington citing “unequal treatment” of U.S. car, dairy and alcohol exports.
In a conciliatory gesture, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney announced last month a dollar‑for‑dollar matching of U.S. tariffs, while Washington said it would introduce duties on other items such as carpets and waste products even as it lifted others.
White House spokesman Matthew Middleton said the move was part of the Trump administration’s “continued efforts to defend American workers and ensure fair trade”. Canadian Internal Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc replied the country “stands ready to work constructively and in good faith towards a more mutually beneficial trading relationship”.
The announcement comes less than two weeks before the U.S. midterm elections that will decide the balance of power in Congress and shape the remaining two years of President Trump’s term.
Collins’ Democratic challenger Troy Jackson criticised the move as evidence of Trump’s trade wars making life harder for Mainers, while Michigan Republican Mike Rogers has called on the president to end the standoff in a trade‑reliant state.
Canada has held a series of meetings with U.S. officials in its Economic Relations Advisory Committee, and officials say they will continue to push for a fair deal “if the US is there”.
The tariff reversal is seen by some as a political gesture aimed at winning key border states, while critics warn it could complicate efforts to secure a comprehensive trade agreement before the elections. The trade war, which has already cost both sides billions, remains at a stalemate as political pressures mount on Washington and Ottawa.
