Story perspectives

62% Canadians Favor Counter-Tariffs on Trump’s 50% Duties

7/28/2026

Summary

Story summary

Canadians want Ottawa to impose counter-tariffs after President Donald Trump’s 50 % tariffs start Aug. 19, 2026.
An Angus Reid poll (July 23-25, 2026, 1,790 adults) found 62 % support retaliation, 34 % favor dollar-for-dollar, and 75 % distrust Trump’s willingness to honor a deal.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford and British Columbia Premier David Eby support different retaliation measures, with Ford backing dollar-for-dollar tariffs and Eby urging mineral limits.

History

Historical Context

Bush’s March 2002 30 % steel tariffs sparked a WTO case; the November 2003 ruling declared them illegal, authorizing $2 billion in sanctions and leading to a December 2003 repeal. Years later, Trump’s 2025-2026 tariff surge—including a 50 % duty on Canadian goods slated for August 2026—revived Canadian concerns about retaliatory trade measures.

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Story summary

Canadians want Ottawa to impose counter-tariffs after President Donald Trump’s 50 % tariffs start Aug. 19, 2026.
An Angus Reid poll (July 23-25, 2026, 1,790 adults) found 62 % support retaliation, 34 % favor dollar-for-dollar, and 75 % distrust Trump’s willingness to honor a deal.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford and British Columbia Premier David Eby support different retaliation measures, with Ford backing dollar-for-dollar tariffs and Eby urging mineral limits.

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