Trump's Canada Tariffs: BFFs For Decades, What Went Wrong? Can It Really Be About Fentanyl? Unlikely

The Feb. 1 White House Fact Sheet lists fentanyl as the top reason for President Donald Trump's tariffs on Mexico, Canada, and China, citing the ‘extraordinary threat posed by illegal aliens and drugs’ as a ‘national emergency.'”

The fact sheet refers to "Canada's heightened domestic production of fentanyl, and its growing footprint within international narcotics distribution." What?

Canadian Prime Minister Begs To Differ

Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau pointed out in a press conference shortly after Trump's 25% tariffs were announced that less than 1% of the deadly opioid fentanyl comes through the Canadian-US border.

The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol also confirms that only about 0.2% of all seizures of fentanyl entering the U.S. are made at the Canadian border. Nearly all the rest confiscated comes from Mexico.

"But hearing concerns from both Canadians and Americans, including the American President himself, we’re taking action," Trudeau said. "We launched a $1.3 billion dollar border plan that is already showing results, because we too are devastated by the scourge that is fentanyl."

On Monday, the U.S. and Canada reached an agreement to pause the tariffs "for at least 30 days," Trudeau announced following a phone call with Trump.

BFFs For Decades: What Went Wrong?

Trump's tariffs on Canada, called "the dumbest trade war in history" by The Wall Street Journal, appear to be a pressure tactic. If Canada refuses Trump's demands, Trump could escalate with more tariffs, sanctions and even a travel ban, not unlike what he threatened to do when Colombian President Gustavo Petro initially balked at Trump's recent demand to allow U.S. military flights to land there with illegal immigrants. Trump had threatened Colombia with 50% tariffs before a deal was reached.

World's Friendliest Trading Partners

The U.S. and Canada have one of the largest bilateral commercial relationships in the world, including highly integrated energy and automotive markets, according to the Congressional Research Service

Five days before Trump was even sworn in, Canada's former Prime Minister Stephen Harper told EnergyNow Media that Trump's claim the U.S. subsidizes Canada's trade was not the case. He also noted that half of the U.S.'s oil comes from Canada which has a trade surplus because the U.S. buys "so much of our oil and gas."

Why The Breakup? It's Not You, It's Me

So, if fentanyl at the border isn't really causing the breakup, could it be Canada rejecting Trump's proposal to become the 51st state, promising they could do great things together?

Whatever it is, citizens on both sides of the longest international border in the world are hoping they make up soon.

Now Read:

• Canada Retaliates Against Trump’s Tariffs With Countermeasures: 25% Tariffs On $107 Billion of US-Made Goods

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