Story summary
The United States and Canada have been engaged in a trade war for several months. On Tuesday, Canadian retaliatory tariffs came into effect**, targeting U.S. goods worth $27.6 billion, with duties ranging from 15 to 50%. The move was in response to the Trump administration's imposition of tariffs on Canadian goods worth nearly $28 billion under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930.
In response, the U.S. President Donald Trump banned the import of various Canadian products, including alcohol, motorcycles, and dairy products, starting from September 29. The ban also includes 50% tariffs on a series of other products, such as paper and wood products, aluminum products, furniture, and mattresses.
The trade war has led to a decline in tourism between the two countries, with Canadians choosing to avoid traveling to the U.S. due to the tensions. As one marketing executive based in Vancouver said, "It's such a big ask right now... It's just a wasted effort."
Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney has defended the country's decision to retaliate against the Trump administration's tariffs, saying that Ottawa will not back down and warning of tough times ahead for Canadians. A recent poll found that 80% of respondents support or somewhat support dollar-for-dollar countertariffs.
The trade war between the U.S. and Canada is an escalation of tensions that began last month when trade talks collapsed. The dispute has led to economic pain on both sides, with Canadian businesses affected by the tariffs and American tourism organizations trying to woo Canadians back to visit the United States.
Written for “US Canada Trade War Escalation” on 2026-09-09,
grounded in this article and the 55 other(s) covering the same event.
On the same day Canada’s countertariffs took effect, the U.S. fired back with expanded trade barriers.
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U.S. → take → barriers
TOP STORIES
The latest from the trade war
U.S. President Donald Trump has issued a sweeping ban on imports of Canadian alcohol, motorcycles and some dairy products as Washington ratchets up pressure in response to Ottawa’s latest countertariffs.
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Washington → issue → countertariffs
Trump signed an executive order stopping the import of a broad range of alcoholic beverages, including beer sold in cans and bottles, rye whisky and many types of wine.
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Trump → sign → wine
He issued separate orders banning the import of whey protein, molasses and motorcycles.
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He → issue → protein
In a video posted online yesterday, Prime Minister Mark Carney sought to rally Canadians behind the government’s decision to retaliate while warning of tough times ahead.
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Carney → post → times
For now, Canadians appear to be backing Ottawa’s approach.
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Canadians → appear → approach
A recent Nanos Research poll for The Globe and Mail found 80 per cent of respondents support or somewhat support dollar-for-dollar countertariffs.
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cent → find → countertariffs
Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette announced measures aimed at directing more public spending toward local businesses, while Saskatchewan’s Scott Moe and Alberta’s Danielle Smith urged Canada and the U.S. to get back to negotiations.
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Moe → announce → negotiations
Federal cabinet minsters will fan out in days ahead to reassure companies of support they can access.
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they → fan → support
While formal talks with Washington are stalled, Carney‘s focus will remain on domestic policy: attracting investment and stimulating economic growth.
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focus → stall → growth
- Bombardier shares fall after Trump threatens a ban on U.S. sales
- RBC launches $1.4-billion fund to invest in Canadian technology companies
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RBC → fall → companies
Washington D.C.’s lobbyists are cashing in on the economic chaos
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lobbyists → cash → chaos
What’s on the list of U.S. goods hit by Canada’s countertariffs?
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What → ’ → countertariffs
Canada joins ban on imports from Israeli-occupied West Bank
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Canada → join → Bank
The leaders of Canada, Britain and France have announced that they will ban imports from Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
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they → announce → Bank
The move has been backed by nearly a dozen European countries that have taken similar action or offered support for trade restrictions.
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that → back → restrictions
Canada has taken a harder line on Israel under Carney.
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Canada → take → Carney
In the past year, Ottawa also recognized the state of Palestine and has sanctioned several individuals and businesses involved in settler violence.
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Ottawa → recognize → violence
The Prime Minister has said he would arrest Benjamin Netanyahu if he were to set foot in Canada, in compliance with an International Criminal Court order.
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he → say → order
Alberta landowners sue over orphan well levies
A group of Alberta landowners is taking the province’s energy watchdog to court, arguing that a levy the regulator charges oil and gas companies is so low that it chronically underfunds a program that cleans up old wells with no owners.
The context:
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that → sue → owners
Alberta has for years grappled with a rising number of orphan wells.
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Alberta → grapple → wells
The levy in question bankrolls the Orphan Well Association, which steps in to close wells, oil and gas facilities, and pipelines when companies can no longer meet their cleanup obligations.
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companies → bankroll → obligations
The Alberta Energy Regulator sets the levy, collects it from industry and passes it to the OWA.
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Regulator → set → OWA
In Her Defence podcast launches new season
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podcast → launch → season
Our true crime podcast returns with the launch of a new series In Her Defence: Breach of Trust.
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podcast → return → Trust
This seven-episode season explores the case of Robert Semenchuck, a former Regina police officer who preyed on hundreds of vulnerable women using information from police databases, and the women who risked it all to hold him accountable.
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him → explore → it
Based on more than 50 hours of exclusive interviews with dozens of women, police officers, lawyers and legal experts, In Her Defence: Breach of Trust reveals serious gaps in the way law enforcement agencies in Canada are policing themselves, and the serious harm women are suffering as a result.
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women → base → result
Professors try to make cheating hard again
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cheating → try → ?
As students head back to university, professors are rethinking assignments for the ChatGPT era.
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professors → head → era
At Western University, one professor has built an AI-free digital “walled garden” for supervised essays, while another has brought back pen-and-paper writing.
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another → build → writing
Some instructors are embracing AI instead.
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instructors → embrace → AI
One Western professor lets students use it freely but warns that run-of-the-mill AI work will only earn an average grade.
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work → let → grade
Others are adding oral tests after finding that students who performed well with AI couldn’t always explain basic concepts.
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who → add → concepts
Like many populist movements, including MAGA, the AfD offers simplistic solutions to complicated problems.
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AfD → include → problems
— Gary Mason, national affairs columnist
Germany takes a chilling turn to the far right, writes Gary Mason.
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Mason → take → right
The Shot
Woolly dogs were once abundant along the Pacific coast and now after more than 160 years in storage at the Smithsonian Institution, the only known pelt of the extinct dog is making an appearance on Canada’s West Coast.
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pelt → know → Coast
What else we’re following
At home: Porter Airlines and Transat have received government bailout loans to help the airlines weather soaring prices for jet fuel.
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airlines → follow → fuel
Abroad: Russia pummelled Kyiv, resuming its air attacks on the Ukrainian capital after a brief halt for the visit of U.S. peace negotiators.
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Russia → pummel → negotiators
The U.S. bombed multiple Iranian tankers in response to more attempted missile attacks on a navy warship.
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U.S. → bomb → warship
Investigators believe a dispute among a group of youths may have led to a shooting where a stray bullet killed an 85-year-old man in his Burnaby, B.C., apartment.
uncertain
bullet → believe → apartment
…and 3 more, not listed.
