Summary

Trump announced that 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico will take effect on February 1, though a decision on including oil remains pending.

He justified the move by citing undocumented migration, fentanyl trafficking, and trade deficits.

Trump also hinted at new tariffs on China.

Canada and Mexico plan retaliatory measures while seeking to address U.S. concerns.

If oil imports are taxed, it could raise costs for businesses and consumers, potentially contradicting Trump’s pledge to reduce living expenses.

  • xmunk@sh.itjust.works
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    3 days ago

    If oil is excluded the truly boss move on Canada & Mexico’s part would just be to introduce a 25% export premium on those products while the tariffs are in effect.

      • emeralddawn45@discuss.tchncs.de
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        2 days ago

        This would be beautiful. I remember when there were mod-chip stores beside internet cafes, where i could bring my xbox and pay to have a chip and a hard drive installed that let me copy any game i wanted from a rented disk or downloaded off the internet right onto the console. I still have that console and pulled it out during quarantine to make use of the huge library of games on the hard drive. Having this sort of freedom for all types of goods and electronics would be incredible, but i doubt it will ever happen.

      • SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca
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        2 days ago

        This makes no sense. If Canada could make a phone viable without any changes to tariffs, why wouldn’t it have already happened? Why would tariffs make that less likely to happen?

        • fine_sandy_bottom@discuss.tchncs.de
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          1 day ago

          You may have misunderstood the article.

          There’s a trade agreement that says no tarrifs in exchange for respecting IP which includes not breaking digital locks.

          If the agreement is out then there’s nothing preventing Canada from allowing their citizens to circumvent restrictions against repairing their own tractors for example.

          • SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca
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            1 day ago

            Do you honestly think that reducing the cost of fixing a tractor will reduce the cost of agricultural production by 25% across the board?

            • fine_sandy_bottom@discuss.tchncs.de
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              23 hours ago

              Everyone so god damn snarky on Lemmy.

              I don’t “honestly think” that. I don’t really have an opinion. I’m just explaining the article to you.

              • SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca
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                23 hours ago

                I dunno, maybe something to do with the possibility of millions of people in my country losing their jobs because some dumbass in the US is pushing an agenda has made me snarky towards people exploiting it as an opportunity to push their own bullshit agenda.

            • r0ertel@lemmy.world
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              1 day ago

              Probably not, but it could open up a whole new set of business possibilities for creative Canadians. As the article points out, building repair kits for cars & tractors to sell world wide or selling printer ink bypass kits or mandating in country app stores.

              I’m no economist, but I don’t think this will offset the cost of the US tariffs to everyday Canadians, but it will steal profits from US companies who will cry to uncle trump that Canada’s stealing their lunch money. He may reconsider the tariffs.

              If I had my way, Canada would also make a statement that US copyright works are not copywritable in Canada, so copy & distribute to the world. Worst case, Canadians get free US music, movies & software. Best case, concerned US companies establish a presence in Canada and pay taxes, bring jobs, etc.

              • SpaceCowboy@lemmy.ca
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                23 hours ago

                As the article points out, building repair kits for cars & tractors to sell world wide or selling printer ink bypass kits or mandating in country app stores.

                Canada deciding to not follow IP laws doesn’t mean the rest of the world no longer follows IP laws. These ideas would be for products that could only be sold in Canada and they’d have to compete with US products in the Canadian market. because under this proposal there would be no tariffs on US products.

                This is one of those ideas that people in a single issue frame of mind come up with. Don’t like IP laws? Every single problem is an opportunity to get rid of IP laws and getting rid of IP laws will solve every problem.

    • Someone@lemmy.ca
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      3 days ago

      Exactly, clearly they’ll still pay for it if it’s important enough to exempt. In Canada’s case we could give Alberta the extra revenue just so they won’t get too cranky.

    • Wooki@lemmy.world
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      1 day ago

      Keep going higher, i bet Canada imports more from US than exports.