The White House has lifted tariffs on a set of Canadian goods, with the changes due to take effect on 30 October 2026, less than two weeks before the United States midterm elections on 3 November. According to BBC News, the exemptions cover products including plywood sheets, some paper products, certain machinery and refrigeration equipment, as well as packing crates and boxes.
Maine Senator Susan Collins, a Republican facing a closely fought re-election campaign, said she had pressed senior administration officials for the relief and that it would help producers in her state, including blueberry, potato, apple and seaweed producers. According to Reuters, Collins said she had secured the exemptions for products crucial to Maine's agricultural industries.
The move does not end the wider trade dispute. According to BBC News, the United States imposed a 50 percent levy on about $20 billion of Canadian goods after trade talks collapsed in August, and Canada responded with countermeasures that Prime Minister Mark Carney described as necessary to protect Canadian workers. The latest package also adds new tariffs on other items, including carpets and waste products, so businesses face a mix of relief and new duties.
Canada's internal trade minister, Dominic LeBlanc, said Ottawa was assessing the latest steps and stood ready to work constructively toward a more mutually beneficial trading relationship, according to BBC News. President Donald Trump said on Friday that Canada was working hard on a deal, while Carney has said Canada is prepared to wait rather than accept a poor agreement.
What happens next will be watched closely in border states. The exemptions take effect on 30 October, Collins has said she will keep pushing for further relief, and any broader trade agreement remains subject to negotiation between Washington and Ottawa.
Photo: Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.