Canadian, U.S. Officials Meet to Address Looming Tariffs on Canadian Goods

Canadian and U.S. officials are scheduled to meet again on Sunday as President Donald Trump's proposed tariffs on certain Canadian goods are set to take effect in three days. The meeting will provide an opportunity for both sides to assess the progress made by their respective negotiating teams and discuss the remaining tasks to reach a comprehensive deal beneficial for businesses, workers, farmers, and families on both sides of the border.

According to sources, the U.S. is planning to impose a 50% tariff on some Canadian goods starting Wednesday, raising concerns among politicians, industries, and the public. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has urged for the removal of tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber in any trade deal made.

During a news conference on Sunday, Poilievre argued that it is unacceptable for U.S. tariffs to remain on Canadian lumber and called on Mark Carney to fulfill his promise of negotiating a deal to remove the tariffs.

However, sources familiar with the trade talks have indicated that there seems to be an unlikely gap in potential relief for the softwood lumber industry, as the Americans are not interested in reducing softwood tariffs and duties currently at 45%.

B.C. Premier David Eby has criticized the high tariff rates, stating that Canada faces higher tariffs than Russia on lumber exports to the U.S.

As of Friday, a significant gap remained between the two sides in the negotiations, according to sources with direct knowledge of the trade talks.