US ends Canada's 'free ride' in trade dispute over tariffs

The Trump administration escalated its trade dispute with Canada on Tuesday, accusing Ottawa of unfair barriers and declaring the US is done with Canada's "free ride" on American markets. The White House cited discriminatory tariffs and trade restrictions as the core issue. Washington criticized Canada's 25 percent tariff on US vehicles, restrictions on American alcohol that led to an 81 percent export decline, and dairy tariffs approaching 300 percent. It also cited a $50 billion average annual goods trade deficit with Canada over the past decade. The escalation follows Canada's new C$27.6 billion in tariffs on US goods, effective September 8, including 50 percent on steel and aluminum. The White House noted the US economy is 13 times larger than Canada's, giving Washington significant leverage.