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US President Donald Trump’s administration lifted tariffs on select Canadian imports on Friday, easing trade restrictions on plywood, machinery, paper products, and refrigeration equipment just two weeks ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.
The decision follows intense lobbying from vulnerable Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins, who claimed credit for securing exemptions on specialised equipment crucial to her state’s agricultural sector.
Democrats have heavily targeted Collins’s seat in their bid to flip control of Congress, making Trump’s targeted trade relief a vital political boost in a border state severely impacted by recent cross-border trade friction.
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While the administration removed levies on agricultural equipment and packaging supplies, the White House announced new tariffs on Canadian carpets, valves, and waste products effective October 30.
Trade tensions between the neighbours had escalated since August, when talks collapsed, and Washington imposed tariffs on roughly $20 billion worth of Canadian exports.
In response, Canadian Minister for U.S.-Canada Trade Dominic LeBlanc noted the updated measures and reiterated Ottawa’s readiness to pursue constructive, good-faith negotiations despite recent economic contractions that pushed Canada into a technical recession.
