(Photo courtesy of Anadolu)
WASHINGTON – US President Donald Trump has removed several Canadian products from the country’s 50-percent tariff list, less than two weeks before the November 3 midterm elections.
Trump signed a proclamation Friday exempting selected Canadian imports, including plywood sheets, certain paper products, machinery, refrigeration equipment, and packaging materials, according to a White House fact sheet.
The revised tariff list will take effect on October 30, with certain valves, carpets, waste products, and other goods added to replace the exempted items.
The White House said the changes were intended to better serve public interests while maintaining trade measures against what Washington described as Canada’s discriminatory treatment of American commerce.
Republican Senator Susan Collins, who is facing a competitive reelection campaign in Maine, announced the exemptions ahead of the White House.
Collins said nine categories of products used by Maine’s blueberry, potato, apple, and seaweed industries would be excluded from the tariffs.
She explained that farmers and agricultural businesses in the state depend on specialized Canadian equipment and packaging supplies that are difficult or expensive to obtain from domestic manufacturers.
The senator also said she had repeatedly urged administration officials to provide tariff relief and pursue a broader trade agreement with Canada.
Meanwhile, Trump earlier acknowledged that Canada was actively working toward reaching a trade deal with the United States.
The tariff adjustments come as Washington and Ottawa continue discussions over trade relations, with businesses and agricultural producers closely monitoring potential changes to import costs.
