According to records of the cabinet, Canada was prepared to support the U.S. invasion if UN Security Council approved it. This would include sending ships to combat.
Minutes from the last cabinet meeting leading up to invasion reveal that government still planned for the possibility of UN sanctioning military action. It also shows that this possibility was a factor in ministers’ discussions about life and death.
U.S. troops invaded Iraq to purportedly disarm Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass devastation, which were never discovered. The U.S. administration of President George W. Bush positioned the war as part of a wider fight against terror launched just two years after the 9/11 attacks.
On March 17, 2003, Prime Minister Jean Chretien announced to the House of Commons in the days leading up to the Iraq invasion that Canada would not join the U.S. led “coalition of willings”.
Canada won’t participate in military action if there is no new Security Council resolution,” Chretien said during the question and answer period. This elicited a standing applause from the other side.
The U.S. withdrew a Security Council resolution that had explicitly authorized military actions after the United States appeared to be facing defeat.
CBC News received a copy from the February 25, 2003 minutes of the last cabinet meeting, prior to the declaration by Chretien. This was obtained through an Access to Information request.
The documents show that the Canadian government prepared possible military options while the U.S. resolution was opposed before even being introduced.
John McCallum, then the minister of defence national, said at the time that Canada would not be able offer ground support if this resolution was passed due to its commitments to Afghanistan. He did say that Ottawa might send ships.
The minutes stated that “[McCallum] reaffirmed that Canada’s recent commitment to providing a peacekeeping force in Afghanistan will prevent it from sending ground troops. However, other assets such as warships could be redeployed if Canada chose to take part.”
General Raymond Henault retired, former chief of defence staff, in 2003. He says that the documents are consistent with his statements to Ottawa about the Canadian Armed Forces’ potential contribution to Iraq if Ottawa decides to join.
Henault, in an interview with CBC News, said: “We worked under the assumption we would be prepared to act on whatever decision was made by government.
Canada was operating ships that conducted counterterrorism, countersmuggling and anti-terrorism operations in the Persian Gulf.
CBC News reported that in 2011, according to a WikiLeaks diplomatic memo, U.S. officials and Canadians discussed how these ships could be placed on the sides as the invasion started.
The cabinet minutes, however, suggest that if UN military intervention was sanctioned the ships’ role in a wider war against terror may have increased or been “redeployed”.
Henault stated that the redeployment of ships meant that they “would have participated in any combat operation that was done from a maritime perspective to support the invasion of Iraq”, and that this would include ships that carried patrol aircraft, such as helicopters. He suggested that Canadian Special Forces would also have played a role.
CBC News did not receive a reply from a Chretien spokesperson when they asked if he would be willing to take part in this interview.
Percy Downe was Chretien’s chief of Staff and was present at the cabinet meeting in 2003. He recalled the fact that the Government was following the lead of the Armed Forces when it came to planning the possible possibility of Canada joining the conflict.
I think we could have done a lot more if we had gone. Downe, CBC News reported that the downside is that “hundreds of Canadians would have suffered because they would have died in this war”.
McCallum argued at the meeting in 2003 that moving ground troops to Iraq from Afghanistan would hamper Canada’s contribution to the global war against terrorism.
The documents stated that “he also reminded Ministers that the challenge in establishing security is still very significant in Afghanistan. Canada’s contribution continues to be a credible contribution in the war against terrorism. And that not engaging in a war with Iraq in any way would harm rather than benefit this situation.”
At that time, Canadian soldiers were participating in Operation Apollo in Afghanistan and the Government had only just begun Operation Athena in summer 2003.
Henault stated that “Afghanistan dominated everything we did at the time.”
We said that we couldn’t have ground troops at both sites. “It’s not sustainable in the long term, particularly.”
Even though Canada wasn’t a Security Council member at the time of this debate, Chretien said that Canada wanted to help resolve the impasse while the group discussed the U.S. Resolution.
The minutes of the meeting in February 2003 stated that “[the prime minister] stressed that Canadian efforts focused on trying to reconcile divergent views within the Security Council to avoid the risk of a deadlock or unilateral action which would have eroded the role and relevancy the United Nations.”
Bill Graham, the then Foreign Affairs Minister, told Cabinet that Canada “would continue to communicate clearly its goal to achieve disarmament and not a regime-change in Iraq” as well as that it was best to keep negotiating more widely acceptable UN resolutions.
Michael Kergin was Canada’s Ambassador in Washington during the invasion of Iraq. He said that from his point of view, the Bush Administration had already decided to invade Iraq. The UN push, he felt, was an “irrelevant annoyance and chaff.”
They dismissed the New York activity as being completely irrelevant to their work. The corridors weren’t that busy. He said they were doing public messaging.
Question of sovereignty
Kergin recalls that even though Ottawa announced its official decision just days prior to the invasion, he had the feeling that Washington was basically writing off Canada after Bush told Chretien during a previous meeting that the Prime Minister needed “absolute evidence” that Saddam Hussein was stockpiling mass-destructive weapons.
Kergin stated that “the message we sent was enough for them to accept the fact that they wouldn’t be putting you at the core of planning or discussions on this issue.”
The Americans have never really tried to push us because they knew.
Kergin told reporters that he advised the government not to keep the Americans in the dark about the official decision. He recalled that Chretien kept the details so secretive, even he was unaware of what happened during the question and answer period on March 17.
Kergin explained that the Americans were worried about a possible leak to Washington, which could have spread to Canada before they heard it.
It was on TV, because I have a T.V. In my office — and during question time with everyone else.”
Chretien’s decision to remain out of war at that time was seen as a declaration of Canada’s sovereignty.
Downe, however, said that he believed the government had simply followed the example of Lester B. Pearson who chose to withdraw from the Vietnam War many decades ago.
He said, “There was precedent for her to be independent and make her own decisions.”
You know that Prime Minister Chretien has a lot of political experience. He’d been in the trenches more than once. He knew what questions to ask, and how to press the Americans for the information needed to back them up. “They never did this.”
According to documents CBC News received through an Access to Information request, the Cabinet appeared to generally support Prime Minister’s decision.
Minutes from the cabinet meeting of March 18, 2003 read: “Ministers express support for their position and the handling of Iraq.” This was the day following Chretien’s announcement.
Ministers have also stressed the importance of continuing to lead with principle to rebuild Iraq after the conflict, bring more stability to the Middle East and continue Canadian efforts to fight terrorism.
Downe stated that there was concern, even in the cabinet, about the impact of the decision on relations with the U.S.
He said that, “Looking at it now, 25 years later, everyone is happy Prime Minister Chretien took this decision. But, back then, the issue was very controversial.”
There were many people from the cabinet and caucus, but most of all business people across Canada worried about what would happen to Canada if they didn’t take part.
Kergin claimed that he received little criticism from Bush’s administration, but did receive calls from Republican members of Congress.
A 2020 Research Paper asserts that Canadian Intelligence assessments on the Iraqi situation, including Baghdad’s weaponry, regional implications and internal instabilities, were accurate prior to the invasion.
Graham was clearly concerned about the regional instability when he briefed the cabinet on February 25 on “efforts to inform Canadians in the Middle East on the increasing risks associated with remaining there.”
Some other ministers “voiced concerns over the distinct potential of an paradoxical result where a war on Iraq could increase rather that decrease terrorism, and Canada should take into consideration the long-term factors of terrorism.”
In the end, ISIS emerged as a credible danger in Iraq because of this war. In 2014, Canada and its allies sent troops to Iraq in order to defeat the militant group.
Discussions on the ‘justification’ of killing life
The discussion about Iraq ended at the cabinet meeting on February 25, and the conversation became philosophical as ministers “discussed conditions in which war is justifiable, including the taking of life.”
Discussions also took place on topics which echo the concerns of 2026, namely divisions between allies.
The document states that “Ministers expressed grave concerns regarding the faultlines emerging between North Atlantic Allies and Europe as well as the implications of a erosion of multilateralism”.
Downe remembered that the final discussions in this meeting, which took place over 20 years ago were “highly charged and highly emotional times”.
He said that “the emotions were high” because, in all likelihood, Canadians will be killed in Iraq, their families devastated, and a mother or husband may be lost. Parents, grandparents, and children alike would grieve, as well as grow up without the parent.
It’s an extremely difficult decision.”

U.S. President Donald Trump signed executive orders that will ban several Canadian imports, including certain alcohols, dairy and motorcycles, the White House announced Tuesday.
The move comes hours after Trump said he would direct American agencies to block Canada from access to U.S. contracts.
Early Tuesday, Prime Minister Mark Carney warned Canadians of tough times ahead after retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods took effect just after midnight. Trump’s 50 per cent tariffs on nearly $28 billion worth of Canadian products came into force after trade talks between Ottawa and Washington broke down last month.
Drawing from the list of products being tariffed by the U.S., the Canadian counter-tariffs target roughly 700 American imports, including dairy, plywood and sunscreen.
Key details:
Trump bans certain Canadian booze, dairy
Canada’s counter-tariffs target dairy, plywood, sunscreen
Carney warns Canadians of tough times ahead
Trump threatens to block Bombardier sales in U.S.
Here’s what happened on Sept. 8, 2026:
Trump bans certain Canadian booze, dairy
Trump signed executive orders that will ban several Canadian imports, including certain alcohols, dairy and motorcycles, the White House announced Tuesday.
The ban will go into effect on Sept. 29.
The White House justified the moves by saying Canada’s discrimination against U.S. alcohol, autos and dairy put American exporters at a disadvantage.
Hunter Crowther, CTVNews.ca journalist
Canada assessing new U.S. tariffs: LeBlanc
Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said he is in contact with U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer and that Canada is assessing the latest measures issued by the Trump administration.
“When the U.S. is ready to engage, our government will work in good faith and constructively towards a more secure mutually beneficial trading relationship that fully respects Canadian sovereignty,” LeBlanc said in a social media post Tuesday night.
“Our core focus is on what we can control: building strength at home, diversifying our partnerships abroad, and building Canada strong for all Canadians.”
Hunter Crowther, CTVNews.ca journalist
Some goods Trump will ban
Here is a short list of some of the items Trump says will be excluded from import to the United States as of Sept. 29:
Whey products including protein concentrates, fluid and modified whey
Molasses products including invert, and cane molasses
Non-alcoholic beer
Malt beer
Wine and cider
Liquor including vermouth, brandy, rye, rum, gin, vodka, tequila, liqueurs and cordials
Motorcycles, including mopeds
The Canadian Press
New products hit with 50% tariffs
Trump’s executive orders also included several products being added to the list of Canadian goods subject to 50 per cent U.S. tariffs.
Starting Sept. 15, newly tariffed items will include:
Aluminum bars and rods, both alloy and non-alloy
Bamboo furniture
Certain paper products
Desks and lamps
Golf carts
Iron and steel columns, tubing
Mattresses
Hunter Crowther, CTVNews.ca journalist
Tariffs dropped on some Canadian products
As Trump announced sweeping bans and tariffs on scores of Canadian items, the U.S. dropped tariffs on some products.
Some items no longer tariffed include:
Bed sheets
Fishing rods
Portland cement
Salt and pure sodium chloride
Sugar
Toilet paper, towels and napkins
Hunter Crowther, CTVNews.ca journalist
New ban is Trump ‘controlling the headlines’: professor
Jeffrey Bloodworth, a history professor at the U.S.-based Gannon University, says the latest ban on Canadian goods is Trump’s way of “controlling the headlines.”
“We’re not talking about Iran,” he told CTV News Channel on Tuesday. “We’re talking about a trade war, and Trump sees this as helping his political numbers, because it has in the past.”
As for what products are going to be banned in the U.S., Bloodworth said it’s unclear.
“The GSA (U.S. General Services Administration) ban, that seemed like low hanging fruit, which is indicative of an administration that’s shooting from the hip, that doesn’t have a real specific strategy, other than to Saber rattle,” he said.
“This is Donald Trump’s kind of negotiating style: to always be on offence, to always be aggressive.”
Elianna Lev, CTVNews.ca multi-platform writer
Saskatchewan booze ban mentioned by Trump
Trump’s executive orders that banned several Canadian products from the U.S. made a direct reference to Saskatchewan’s levy on U.S. liquor imports.
Saskatchewan’s ban, which went into effect Tuesday, adds a 50 per cent surcharge on American-made alcohol in response to U.S. tariffs on Canadian booze.
Trump’s executive order called the ban an example of Canada’s continued “discriminatory treatment” of U.S. alcoholic beverages.
CTV News Regina has reached out to Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe’s office for a response to the added measures from the United States.
Cole Davenport, CTV News Regina anchor
Read CTV News Regina’s full story here
‘NO RECIPROCITY – NO ACCESS!’: Trump on Canadian products
Trump posted a new threat to Canada in a social media post on Tuesday, this one related to procurement rules.
In a post once again targeting the supply management system — about which Trump has complained frequently in the past — the U.S. president also says Canada and its provinces have “banned American Small Businesses and Companies from selling into their Government Procurement Markets.”
Writing “NO RECIPROCITY – NO ACCESS,” Trump says he’s blocking Canada’s access to U.S. contracts by directing the agency responsible for U.S. procurement not to purchase “Canadian-origin products.”
While most jurisdictions typically prioritize domestic procurement, some have gone a step further since the U.S. launched its trade war on Canada.
Last year, the federal government announced an “interim policy on reciprocal procurement.”
Several provinces, including Manitoba, B.C., and Ontario, have also implemented new restrictions on their procurement contracts since the trade conflict began.
Spencer Van Dyk, CTV News writer & producer
Carney warns Canadians of tough times ahead
Prime Minister Mark Carney is warning Canadians that the country’s pivot away from the United States will come at a cost, but that the alternative would be far worse.
In a national video address set to be released on Tuesday, Carney reiterated Canada’s plan to respond to the U.S. trade war, including retaliatory tariffs which kicked in just after midnight.
Carney says the aim is to come out stronger and more resilient so no country can hold Canada hostage.
The Canadian Press
What is Canada targeting?
Canada’s counter-tariffs include a 50 per cent tariff on a variety of American dairy products such as milk and cream, and a 25 per cent tariff on fresh cheese and curd. Canada is also targeting U.S. wood products with 25 per cent tariffs on softwood, including pine, fir and spruce.
Canada’s new tariffs: A list of key U.S. goods facing surtaxes
Multiple steel and aluminum products are also being hit with a 50 per cent tariff, up from the current 25 per cent rate. They include steel rods, bars and sheets, along with prefabricated items such as bridges, towers, scaffolding, and door and window frames.
Some beauty products and makeup are now subject to 50 per cent tariffs, including perfumes, sunscreen and suntan products, lip and eye makeup, manicure and pedicure preparations, and hair products.
Phil Hahn, CTV News senior producer
Canada, EU to form new alliance: Bloomberg
Canada and the European Union are working to build a new all-encompassing alliance that will include trade, security, supply chains and critical raw materials, Bloomberg reports.
The new partnership will aim to offset the global power politics dominated by the U.S. and China.
Bloomberg reports that European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is expected to announce the plans at her state of the union address in France, on Sept. 16.
Carney will attend the speech then address European lawmakers the following day.
Kayla Thompson, CTVNews.ca journalist
No U.S. communication with Canada over Bombardier: MacKinnon
Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon says the U.S. government has not communicated with Canada through any official channels about Trump’s threat to block the sale of Bombardier jets in the United States.
Trump made the threat in a social media post on Monday, while pointing to other previous grievances, including Canada waiting to certify certain American-made Gulfstream jets and claiming U.S. banks are not allowed to operate in Canada.
Shortly after Trump’s previous complaints about Canada’s Gulfstream certification, the federal government certified the aircraft, in a decision MacKinnon said Tuesday was “not a political process,” but rather one “designed with safety in mind.”
When asked about Bombardier during an exclusive interview on CTV Power Play with Vassy Kapelos on Tuesday, MacKinnon said the Canadian government hasn’t heard anything from the U.S. administration beyond what the president has posted to social media.
“Bombardier is certified around the world, and it does so with the help of certifying agencies, again, around the world,” MacKinnon also said. “And there is no known process to decertify an airplane.”
Spencer Van Dyk, CTV News writer & producer
B.C. store pivoting to non-American suppliers
An appliance retailer in B.C. is stocking up on U.S.-made products and searching for alternatives made anywhere but America, as new retaliatory-tariffs that took effect at midnight on Tuesday, threaten to drive up the cost of some major household appliances.
Lazar Ilic, owner of Appliance Outlet, says suppliers have warned that prices on some U.S.-made products could rise by 30 to 50 per cent starting Oct. 1, and he says passing those costs onto his customers isn’t an option.
“We are competing with the big stores already as it is, and one of the things that we cannot do is raise our prices,” Ilic said.
About 20 per cent of his store’s inventory is made up of products that will be affected by the tariffs, he says. To prepare, Ilic has tripled his usual orders of U.S.-made appliances. That should give him about three months of inventory before the extra cost is added. After that, if customers want a tariff-impacted product made in the U.S. they will have to pay more, he said.
In the meantime, Ilic is sourcing fridges and stoves made in Mexico, China and South Korea that offer similar features but without the tariff hit.
Andrew Johnson, CTVNews.ca National Correspondent
Read the full story here
Bombardier ‘supports a local workforce’: Kansas senator
In a social media post on Tuesday, U.S. Senator for Kansas Jerry Moran said he’s contacted members of the Trump administration “to make certain the president is aware of the significant contributions of Bombardier to Kansas and the importance of its presence in Wichita.”
“The presence of Bombardier in Wichita supports a local workforce of more than a thousand employees, who contribute their talent and expertise to our nation’s defence and aerospace capabilities,” Moran wrote.
The senator added he will “continue working to see that Bombardier’s manufacturing operations not only remain in Kansas but continue to grow and create American jobs.”
Spencer Van Dyk, CTV News writer & producer
Bombardier shares fall 6.4 per cent
Bombardier (BBDb.TO) shares fell 6.4 per cent in Tuesday morning trading after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened the Canadian private jet maker’s access to the lucrative U.S. market, which accounts for about half of the company’s sales. The stock rebounded in afternoon trading Tuesday.
Trump made the threat in a post on Monday as a trade dispute between Washington and Ottawa escalates, with Canada introducing counter tariffs on $20 billion worth of U.S. goods. The Toronto Stock Exchange, on which Bombardier trades, was closed on Monday.
Reuters
Quebec on Bombardier threats
Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette offered her support to Bombardier after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Monday to stop the sale of products from the Montreal-based company in the U.S.
Trump said in a social media post that the aircraft aren’t “good enough,” adding if Canada wants to keep selling Bombardier aircraft in the U.S., they must be built there.
Fréchette said in a social media post that she would not respond to provocation with provocation.
Robin Della Corte, CTV News Montreal digital reporter
Read the full story here
B.C. to install ‘never the 51st state’ signs at U.S. border
The British Columbia government will install new signs at U.S. border crossings declaring the province is “never the 51st state,” Premier David Eby announced Tuesday.
Eby unveiled the tongue-in-cheek measure while warning of the very real economic consequences of the escalating Canada-U.S. trade war.
“People will lose their jobs and businesses will close on both sides of the border,” the premier said during a news conference in Victoria. “We have to look out for one another. We have to buy Canadian whenever we can.”
Eby said the new signs near U.S. border crossings would declare: “Welcome to B.C., Canada. Strong, proud and never the 51st state. Sorry.”
Todd Coyne, CTV News Vancouver journalist. Read the full story here
Trump claims U.S. banks can’t operate in Canada. That’s not true
Asked about the trade war with Canada last week, U.S. President Donald Trump falsely claimed that U.S. banks are not allowed to do business with its neighbour to the north.
“They have their banks here, Bank of Canada, all of their big banks — big, beautiful banks,” Trump said. “I think they have six or seven major banks here. We don’t have our banks there. You know why? They don’t allow it.”
However, there are currently 15 U.S.-based banks operating out of Canada, either as branches or subsidiaries, according to a spokesperson for the Canadian Bankers Association. Certain restrictions can make it difficult for U.S. banks to compete north of the border, experts say, but they are free to enter the market.
The Associated Press
Read the full story here
‘Saskatchewan didn’t ask for this trade fight’: Moe
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says that while counter-tariffs are “necessary” to respond to the “unjustified” tariffs imposed by the United States, the focus should be on getting negotiators back to the table to get “the best deal for Canadians.”
“Saskatchewan didn’t ask for this trade fight, but we still stand up for our people and industries,” he wrote in a post on social media Tuesday. “We’ll keep opening new markets, strengthening trade relationships and getting more Saskatchewan products to the world.”
Spencer Van Dyk,CTV News writer & producer
No formal trade talks with U.S.: LeBlanc
With Canadian counter-tariffs now in effect, Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc’s office has confirmed that discussions between the two countries are still ongoing, though they do not involve trade talks.
“Canadian and American officials have maintained ongoing discussions on a range of issues, although formal trade negotiations are not taking place at this stage,” LeBlanc’s office said on Tuesday.
Kayla Thompson, CTVNews.ca, journalist
Retaliatory tariffs target battleground U.S. states
As Canada’s retaliatory tariffs took effect Tuesday, one expert suggested the measures were intended not only to hit American exporters but also to increase political pressure on Republicans ahead of the U.S. midterm elections.
James Horncastle, a geopolitics professor at Simon Fraser University, said many of the targeted industries are concentrated in states such as Ohio, Pennsylvania and Michigan, where political races are expected to be closely contested on Nov. 3.
“Given that the United States is heading towards midterm elections, many of the states that are impacted by these counter-tariff announcements are ones where the Republicans are either vulnerable, or in ones where they have to make gains,” Horncastle said Tuesday, during an interview with CTV’s Your Morning Vancouver.
If Democrats do take the majority this fall and come into office next year, one U.S. Congressman says dropping the tariffs against Canada will be a priority.
“We have our own interests as members of Congress representing people, to reverse these tariffs,” said Rick Larsen, U.S. Representative for Washington’s Second Congressional District.
Becca Clarkson, CTV News Vancouver journalist
How Albertans can work around counter-tariffs
An Alberta business owner is stocked up and hoping to avoid raising prices while awaiting a resolution to the escalating trade war between Canada and the U.S.
Teresa Spinelli, president of the Italian Centre Shop, said her company imports mainly from Europe but won’t escape unscathed.
“Some of my favourite cheese is actually from the U.S. So that’s going to go up by 25 per cent for sure,” she said. “The only other thing that I think is going to really affect us is with the packaging.”
Spinelli explained that packaging like bottles, jars and cans often comes from the U.S. and has the potential to raise prices even for locally grown or made goods.
“Even though there are no tariffs on the beans because they’re a Canadian product, the can the beans are in is going to go up for sure,” she added. “That gets passed on to us and we unfortunately have to pass that on to our customers.”
Brittany Ekelund, CTVNewsEdmonton.ca journalist
Read the full story here
Colorado governor says U.S. and Canada need a ‘reset’
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis said Canada and the U.S. need to “reset” their relationship because the ongoing trade war is hurting people in both countries.
Speaking to CTV News Channel on Tuesday, Polis said the rhetoric being used by Trump and his administration doesn’t represent most Americans.
“America does not view Canada as the 51st state, any more than Canada views United States as the 11th or the 14th province or territory,” he said. ”Unfortunately, in our country, that guy’s our president, and that’s kind of the problem. This is not the way Americans deal. I think Canadians know it.”
He added that he hopes the U.S. will have a new president in two years, and “hopefully new Congress in a few months.”
“It’s my fondest hope that the pendulum will swing the other way, and people will see the horrors of how ridiculous and painful it is, for no reason, to have these economic fights and disagreements, and we could work towards establishing a new framework, frequent closer collaboration than we’ve ever had before,” he said.
Elianna Lev, multi-platform writer, CTVNews.ca
‘It was a pretty good deal’: former U.S. trade rep
A former U.S. trade representative who worked on the file with Trump during his first term says she’d like to see negotiators return to the table.
“I think it’s hard at this moment to see an off-ramp very close by,” Kate Kalutkiewicz told CTV News Channel on Tuesday. “I hope inevitably we get there because, of course, inevitably, as two economies that are almost completely interdependent on one another, it’s hard to watch this unfolding. ”
Kalutkiewicz voiced her approval of Trump’s negotiating skills, explaining that Trump’s administration has threatened tariffs on “on almost every country in the world.” However, they’ve also negotiated agreements “with a number of other countries to bring those tariff rates down.”
The former representative says from her perspective, the trade deal turned down by Canada seemed to be “meaningful.”
“(As) someone who negotiated for the United States for two decades, what I could see is that there were people unhappy on both sides and there were people happy on both sides, and that tells me that it was a pretty good deal.”
Kayla Thompson, CTVNews.ca, journalist
Quebec announces $1.5B buy local push
The Quebec government has announced a series of measures to promote buying locally in response to the escalating trade war between Canada and the United States.
Premier Christine Fréchette says the measures will inject about $1.5 billion into the Quebec economy in the next four months.
Ministers adopted an order-in-council requiring the government to take steps to favour local businesses when it comes to awarding contracts, such as reserving public bids for companies with a place of business in Quebec and Canada.
The Canadian Press
Read the full story here
‘Be prepared’: UNIFOR president on trade war length
The president of Canada’s largest private sector union is throwing her support behind Ottawa’s retaliatory tariffs against the U.S.
“I believe we’ve done everything possible as a country to get this resolved,” UNIFOR president Lana Payne told CTV News Channel on Tuesday. “And now we have to take the action we’re taking in order to bring things to a head.”
Payne, who is a member of the federal government’s Advisory Committee on Canada-U.S. Economic Relations, says Ottawa needs to ensure tariffs have only a minimal impact on Canadian workers, who are “bearing the brunt of this trade war.”
“And if the U.S. hits back, then we have to be prepared to put even more on the table,” Payne added. “We have to fight back and push back and hold the line and also be prepared that we might be in this place until the end of Trump’s term.”
Daniel Otis, CTVNews.ca journalist
Counter-tariffs could lead to further retaliation: lawyer
Canada’s retaliatory tariffs against the U.S. may be more symbolic than impactful, according to an international trade lawyer.
“I’m not sure how much this is going to (impact) the U.S.” KPMG Law’s Robert Glasgow told CTV News Channel on Tuesday. “This is, in my mind, very much a symbol for the government to be holding up.”
While Canadian counter-tariffs are meant to target crucial swing states like Michigan and Maine ahead of the U.S. midterm elections in November, Glasgow says they could also lead to further escalation by the Trump administration.
“Part of my fear here is that we end up being caught in a cycle where Canada takes steps that are big enough to be irritating to the United States, but not big enough to have a huge major impact,” Glasgow said.
“Then we end up with a U.S. government that’s annoyed, but not hamstrung. And so to that extent, the Trump administration may come back, as they’ve already indicated they may, with measures against other Canadian goods.”
Daniel Otis, CTVNews.ca journalist
Semi-trailer tariffs could hurt Canadians: COO
A Canadian company wants Ottawa to rethink its 25 per cent retaliatory tariff on U.S.-made semi-trailers.
Mack Keay is the chief operating officer of Ocean Trailer, Western Canada’s largest semi-trailer dealer and rental company.
“The biggest reason that we feel that semi-trailers are the wrong thing to tariff is because everything that you see around you, and everything on the grocery store shelves, came in a trailer,” Keay told CTV News Channel on Tuesday. “That freight cost is built into every item, so increasing that freight cost increases inflation for every Canadian.”
Keay says they have roughly 600 trailers on order from U.S. companies right now, worth approximately $45 million. With those orders now in jeopardy and few domestic alternatives, Keay says trucking companies will likely end up keeping older equipment on Canadian roads.
“There are a few Canadian semi-trailer manufacturers, but they build about one-tenth of what we would import in a year,” Keay said. “The average age of trucking fleets in Canada is older than it has ever been. Old equipment wears out. The more older equipment we have on Canadian roads, the less safe they are.”
Daniel Otis,CTVNews.ca journalist
Poilievre calls for transparency on rejected trade deal
Federal Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre is asking Prime Minister Mark Carney to disclose details about the rejected trade deal between Canada and the U.S.
Speaking to reporters in Regina on Monday, Poilievre argued that Canadians have a right to know exactly what was offered.
“The prime minister obviously has an analysis on how his counter-tariffs will increase inflation and costs for small business,” Poilievre said.
“He has admitted that tariffs will be a tax on consumers, we just want him to release that analysis so that single moms, small business owners, seniors, know what they’re going to have to pay.”
Daniel Reech, CTV News Regina, journalist
Saskatchewan tax on U.S. liquor kicks in
Saskatchewan’s government is set to slap its retaliatory tax on American booze today amid the ongoing Canada-U.S. trade war.
Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe announced last month his province would implement the 50 per cent fee on American alcohol on the same day Canada’s reciprocal tariffs take effect.
Any U.S.-produced alcohol purchased through the Saskatchewan Liquor and Gaming Authority’s online ordering system, used by retailers across the province, is being hit by the levy.
Unlike other Canadian provinces, Saskatchewan and Alberta do not have a ban on American alcohol products.
The Canadian Press
Read the full story here
Expect holiday season price increases
Depending on the product, Canadian consumers should expect to see prices increase due to tariffs and counter-tariffs within the next six to 18 weeks, according to Kyle Peacock, principal of Peacock Tariff Consulting.
“It really depends on the supply chain,” Peacock told CTV News Channel on Tuesday. “You’ll probably start to see this in the holiday season. So anyone that is looking to do holiday purchases, I would look at purchasing early to avoid these tariff increases.”
Peacock describes the list of tariffed items as a “living document” that is subject to change.
“Business owners out there, just be aware,” Peacock advised. “Just because you weren’t on the list today doesn’t mean you won’t be on the list in the future, or just because you’re on the list today doesn’t mean you won’t be off in the future.”
Daniel Otis, CTVNews.ca journalist
Trump map ‘wholly inappropriate’: Iceland
Iceland’s foreign ministry said Tuesday it had summoned the U.S. ambassador after U.S. President Donald Trump posted a map that seemingly showed the island as part of the United States.
“Minister for Foreign Affairs, Thorgerdur Katrin Gunnarsdottir, summoned the U.S. Ambassador yesterday to convey a clear message that the image was wholly inappropriate,” the ministry said in a statement to AFP.
Trump on Monday posted an image to social media with a map of North America in which Canada, Greenland, Mexico, much of central America and the Caribbean, as well as Iceland, were coloured in with the U.S. flag.
AFP
Read the full story here
U.S. eyes trade deals with Latin America: Rubio
The United States was hoping to wrap up “good, solid” trade deals in the foreseeable future with Colombia, Peru and Ecuador, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday ahead of planned visits to the three countries this week.
Reuters
Canada’s ‘Steel City’ braces for tariff impacts
In the wake of 50 per cent U.S. tariffs and Canadian counter-tariffs, workers in Canada’s “Steel City” are bracing for layoffs and more uncertainty.
Hamilton, Ont. produced roughly half of all of Canada’s steel at one point and continues to produce millions of tonnes of the material each year.
“I think there’s a sense that people really are uncertain about the future,” Andrea Horwath, mayor of Hamilton, told CTV News on Monday. “They don’t know how bad it’s going to get. I think what they do know is that if it gets bad, the pain is going to be significant.”
To highlight the city’s industrial and steel-producing roots, the Art Gallery of Hamilton is currently hosting a “Made in Hamilton” exhibition, which features locally made automotives, appliances, hardware and pantry items.
“I think the exhibition tells a really unique story about what we’re going through now with the U.S.,” exhibition curator Tor Lukasik-Foss told CTV News. “A lot of what’s here represents the full potential of what a partnership between two countries looks and feels like.”
Kamil Karamali, CTV National News Weekend Correspondent
Former minister calls war ‘mutually detrimental’
In a new opinion piece, former Conservative cabinet minister James Moore laments the “mutually detrimental” trade war between the U.S. and Canada.
“The North American economic alliance has been the greatest trading partnership and wealth-building alignment in human history,” Moore writes.
“That U.S. President Donald Trump chose to pick a fight with Canada is a colossal step backwards for economic prosperity, a shattering of decades of accumulated trust and a threat to our security co-operation going forward.”
Moore, who served in prime minister Stephen Harper’s cabinet, argues that Trump’s trade war with Canada is likely a “distraction tactic” from the Iran conflict and the rising cost of living.
“One thing has become clear, however, and that is that these tariffs are both bad policy and bad politics and will ultimately fail economically and electorally for those who advocate and implement them with any vigour,” Moore says.
James Moore, CTV News Contributor
Read the full article here
Sapporo shifting production to U.S.
With 50 per cent tariffs targeting Canadian beer exports to the U.S., Japan’s Sapporo Breweries Ltd. has announced that it will be shifting some production from Canada to the U.S.
In Canada, Sapporo beer is made at the Sleeman Breweries facility in Guelph, Ont., which Sapporo acquired in 2006.According to several media reports, Sapporo plans to move production of non-alcoholic beer destined for the U.S. market to an American facility in the first half of 2027 in order to avoid tariffs. The Japanese beer giant says it is also considering opening a U.S. brewery on the West Coast.
Daniel Otis, CTVNews.ca journalist
Trump’s approval ratings an advantage for Canada
The ongoing trade war between once-great friends is a classic David vs. Goliath matchup from the outset.
The U.S. economy is 13 times larger and Canada sends roughly 70 per cent of its exports south of the border. These numbers alone make it an uphill climb for Ottawa, depending on how long this battle wages.
However, the current economic and political climate gives Ottawa some momentum. Canada’s economy grew at a 3.2 per cent annualized rate in the second quarter, more than twice the 1.5 per cent pace in the United States.
Moreover, President Trump’s approval ratings continue to fall, giving Carney massive space to engage aggressively against the White House. Around 60 per cent of Americans disapprove of Trump overall.
Among independents, which will determine if the Republican Party maintains control of Congress, more than 70 per cent disapprove of the president’s agenda.
These numbers will overwhelmingly shape the U.S. midterm elections which are exactly eight weeks away. The White House has no room for error and lawmakers are in jeopardy of losing their jobs everyday that this battle continues.
Eric Ham, CTV News political analyst in Washington
Trump targets Canada on Truth Social
U.S. President Donald Trump made a flurry of social media posts over the Labour Day long weekend targeting Canada. They included a Truth Social post on Monday showing a map covered entirely by a U.S. flag and the words “United States of America.” In the image, the U.S. map blankets Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, Central America, Iceland and Greenland.
Trump also turned to Truth Social on Monday to declare, “NO MORE SELLING BOMBARDIER IN THE UNITED STATES!”

LONDON – France and Canada have joined the U.K. to impose new trade sanctions against illegal Israeli settlements on Tuesday. This is a significant diplomatic victory for Britain, as it restructures its relationship towards Israel.
Ed Miliband, British Foreign Minister, confirmed in the House of Commons that Britain, France, and Canada would impose a trade ban for goods and services from Israeli Settlements. He had last month condemned Israel’s plans to build 1,200 homes east of Jerusalem.
Gideon Sa’ar, the Israeli foreign minister in response to this announcement, said that the British Consulate at Jerusalem would be shut down.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the U.K. and France were also included in the list of 11 nations that warned the Israeli government against its actions in West Bank as they threatened the two-state settlement.
Miliband said that the British government agrees with the Palestinians who are being ethnically cleansed in certain areas of West Bank, adding that the Israeli government is “too often blind to it.”
The U.K. is taking action against companies or individuals that provide construction, infrastructure, finance, real estate, and other services for the settlement expansion.
He said that Britain would “act together with other countries in a wide international coalition.” France and Canada, he added, will also prohibit the importation of goods from settlements illegal.
In a posting on X, Jean-Noel Barrot, France’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, confirmed the decision: “France, together with 11 other nations that have taken similar steps, will stop trading with Israeli settlements within the occupied Palestinian Territories.”
The French government cannot support, by its commercial activities, a situation which threatens both the Israelis’ and Palestinians’ security.
Anita Anand is Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs. She said that her country would introduce trade restrictions in “the coming months” on goods from settlements “illegally established” in West Bank.
This follows a major effort made by the British Government over the Summer, culminating in a recent visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to Downing Street.
The announcement by Miliband marks a significant shift in Britain’s position on Israeli settlements, under the new British prime minister Andy Burnham.
In light of Gaza’s war, the relationship between Israel, which has historically been one of Israel’s closest allies, and France, home to more Jews in Europe than anywhere else, is strained.
Macron said last year that Europe should “harden its collective position” on Israel, given the dire humanitarian conditions in this coastal enclave. He also had some success last year in convincing Western democracies of the need to recognize a Palestinian State.
Barrot stated last week that recent efforts to sanction EU wide trade with illegal West Bank Settlements have been met with resistance at Brussels.
EU law is murky, as trade is a matter of exclusive EU jurisdiction. The member states may do this on grounds of national security, or a violation of democracy and human rights. However, any national measures are assessed to ensure they comply with EU laws.
US Threats
The U.S. announced its policy Tuesday morning, hours before it was made public. Mike Huckabee, the U.S. Ambassador in Israel, suggested that the U.S. might retaliate on the U.K.
Huckabee said that this decision was a discrimination against Jews, despite Miliband’s being Jewish. He told the BBC the U.S. state of Florida might also take action.
Isaac Herzog, Israeli president, warned that imposing trade sanctions against Israeli settlements was a grave miscalculation and would be on the wrong side history. This came out in a reading of Herzog’s comments.
UNGA is approaching
Burnham is expected to meet with U.S. president Donald Trump for the first time since becoming British Prime Minister.
Miliband stated that the U.K. would use the meeting to “brighten the most harsh and clearest spotlight” on the current situation and the changes needed.

Canada’s retaliatory duties on imports from the United States worth $28 billion went into effect Tuesday morning, after Prime Minister Mark Carney slammed President Donald Trump for his trade war. He also braced himself for a possible counterpunch by Washington.
The office of Mr. Carney said on Monday that no last-minute talks had taken place to stop Canada from imposing countertariffs.
In lieu of engaging in negotiations, Donald Trump posted a series of insulting and derisive social media posts on Canada. He also suggested a possible ban of Bombardier luxury jets made by Canadians.
White House officials did not make any formal announcements about the attack against the Canadian firm.
Ottawa levies against American companies came into effect at 12:01 am on Tuesday. Nearly 900 products are included – from home appliances and clothing to electronics and metals.
Canadian tariffs were imposed in response to the 50 percent tariffs imposed by Mr. Trump on Canada, Aug. 22, 2018. Ottawa levies mostly 25 and 50 percent, but a few goods are subject to lower duties of 15 per cent.
Canada left the negotiations in late August, after Mr. Carney said that American negotiators made unreasonable demands at the last minute. Since then, no formal negotiations have been held.
The six charts below explain Canada’s countertariffs against U.S. products
Trump has pledged to take retaliation, so Ottawa’s countertariffs may intensify the trade conflict, causing economic hardship for both businesses and consumers. Trump’s administration has promised to retaliate, meaning that Ottawa’s new countertariffs could widen the trade war, causing economic pain for businesses and consumers on both sides of the border.
The White House has threatened a Canadian population that, according to polls, is ready for a fight following a year-and-ahalf of Mr. Trump’s near constant provocation. The Trump administration is waging economic warfare not only on Canada, but also on many of the traditional U.S. Allies.
Carney ran his campaign on promises to manage Trump, win the negotiations and diversify Canada’s economic base. The voters rewarded Carney with a government and many of them took their stand by boycotting U.S. products and services.
Before the last round of U.S. Tariffs, Canadian officials held daily talks to reach a compromise and avoid the new economic pain. The President chose to take the opposite approach in the last hours before new Canadian tariffs were imposed.
On his Truth Social site, President Obama shared a picture of him in Team USA hockey equipment, towering above a writhing Mr. Carney, dressed in Team Canada colors, and telling the governor to “Get Up, Governor.”
Trump also posted another map, which showed the U.S. Flag superimposed on Canada, Mexico and Greenland. He also included the Caribbean, including the majority of Central America, as well as the whole Caribbean. Prime Minister’s Office refused to comment on the posts made by Mr. Trump.
Editorial: Trump’s rants distract from the real battle
Audrey Champoux said that there were no discussions between Mr. Carney and the American officials on Monday, or even earlier during the long holiday weekend. The offices of Canada-U.S. trade minister Dominic LeBlanc, and the top negotiator Janice Charette also said that there were no discussions with American officials.
Canada has entered a new stage in its dispute over trade with the United States. Carney claimed that Mr. Trump’s recent levies amounted war in August.
Eric Miller, founder and adviser of Rideau Potomac Strategy Group, and an expert on Canada-U.S. Economic Relations, says that the dispute is not just about tariffs.
He said that the two sides were “digging in”.
Miller stated that this was a test for Mr. Trump to see if he could bring Canada under control and submit it to the White House’s whims. The Prime Minister will be tested to see if he and Canada can stand up against the pressure of a superpower.
Miller stated that the world is watching to see if Carney can hold on and get through this or he will break. The expectation is if Carney survives the crisis and succeeds that it will inspire others to follow suit.
Opinion: A trade war is dirty business. Canada should not be dragged in the dirt
Miller stated that he does not expect an immediate resolution of the impasse, given how high the stakes are. He said that the economic impact will have to be significant enough to make future trade negotiations a necessity.
The President made his most serious attack on Monday against a Canadian firm, not the government, or the broader industry sector.
NO MORE BOMBARDIER SALE IN THE USA! He wrote about it on social media. If they want to be in our Market they have to build here and stop using America as a piggy bank.
Bombardier expects to generate US$9.55 billion in revenues in 2025. More than half of this revenue will come from the United States. In 2026, the company is expected to surpass US$10 billion in revenues. The company employs 3,500 Americans in addition to its American revenue, so any attempts by Trump to harm the company would affect workers in his country.
Bombardier produces wings for the Global 8000 in Red Oak (Texas) and components for these same wings in a facility located in Los Angeles. Chicago is the company’s largest parts distribution hub.
The company stated that by hiring workers and purchasing parts from American suppliers, it helped to increase trade surpluses within the U.S.
Customs brokers are tired of Trump’s constant changes to the rules on trade.
The American aerospace industry has a strong position in trade and exports. Bombardier has created tens and thousands of jobs in the United States. The Aerospace sector is consistently one of the United States’ top exports and has a consistent trade surplus,” said the company.
Trump claimed in his blog that Ottawa has prevented Bombardier’s competitor Gulfstream Aerospace from “doing business” in Canada. However, the government issued a statement saying the aircraft can and are “freely operated and sold in Canada.”
Bombardier has been a target of the President’s previous attacks.
He accused Canada in January of unfair trading practices, and warned that the U.S. was going to decertify all Canadian-made and Bombardier jets until Transport Canada had approved Gulfstream aircraft. He threatened to impose a 50% tariff on all new aircraft manufactured in Canada.
After a brief dispute, the Canadian regulator approved key Gulfstream business jet models in February.
Christine Frechette, Premier of Quebec, posted a social media statement in which she pledged her support for Bombardier.
Miller warned that there is no certainty as to how this conflict will be settled. Canada should prepare itself for the worst case scenario, which would see the U.S. pull out of the North American Trade Pact and strike a bilateral agreement with Mexico. Miller said that he did not predict such a result, but it is not impossible.
The Bank of Canada stated last week that the trade war is escalating and causing more uncertainties for the domestic economy. The Bank of Canada said that the economy was doing well before the tariffs in August, but now the future of these gains is uncertain because of punitive policies.
Nanos Research has released a new poll that shows Canadians will tolerate some economic hardship to fight back against Trump’s administration. Nik Nanos, a pollster at Nanos Research warned that Mr. Carney’s public support is limited.
We don’t yet know for how long this resolve will last, said Mr. Nanos.
Derek Nighbor is the president of the Forest Products Association of Canada. He said that although the countermeasures will increase costs for Canadian consumers and importers, they are also in the interest of Canada.
M. Nighbor stated that “This is proportionate to the actions of the United States.”
The American dairy industry has not responded to the Canadian tariffs, as it wants Canada’s dairy market liberalized.
Shawna Morris is a member of the National Milk Producers Federation, and U.S. Dairy Export Council said that her industry was disappointed with the current trade dispute. It supports U.S. Administration’s decision “to use whatever tariff authority [it] has in order to drive a resolution.”

On Labour Day, U.S. president Donald Trump continues his social media rhetoric against Canada and other countries.
Trump posted a number of tweets and images on Monday morning, just a few days before Canada’s counter-tariffs were to be implemented in the U.S.
A post from 10:43 am showed an entire map with the U.S. Flag and “United States of America” written on it.
The image shows the U.S. Map covering Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. It also includes Central America, Iceland, Greenland, Iceland, Iceland, Iceland, Greenland, Iceland, Iceland, Iceland, Greenland, Iceland, Central America.
Trump declared to Truth Social that “NO SELLING OF BOMBARDIER IS ALLOWED IN THE USA!”
Their products aren’t up to par! Their revenue is over 50% from America — they live on American Buyers and Companies. They use American Airports and American Service. All the while, Canada has blocked our great American banks and companies throughout the U.S.A. Even Gulfstream Aerospace was denied the right to do business in Canada – This is completely unfair and unjust! This era is over! They must stop using America as a piggybank and build in America if they wish to have our Market. Fly on American Airlines. Enjoy American liquor and beverages. SAIL LAKE AMERICA. AMERICA FIRST! He continued his post.
A representative of Bombardier sent an email to CTV News highlighting the firm’s presence in the U.S. Bombardier, it said, generates “tens and thousands of jobs” through its 3,500 employees directly in the U.S. and 2,800 U.S. suppliers in 47 states. It also has five U.S. Service Centres and a parts warehouse in Chicago.
The company also said that it is part of the U.S. Department of Defense’s program that assists former military personnel in transitioning into civilian careers through gaining experience.
After rival Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., Canadian Aircraft is regarded as the second largest business jet maker in the world.
According to a study conducted by the General Aviation Manufacturers Association, in 2025 Montreal’s luxury aircraft manufacturer will have delivered 157 planes worth a combined $7.94 billion.
A representative of Transport Canada confirmed to CTV News that there are no outstanding aircraft validation requests involving Gulfstream.
The Gulfstream aircraft can be sold and operated freely in Canada. The statement stated that Canada is continuing to fulfill its international aviation obligations, and working with international partners according to established aviation standards.
Trump uses the ‘governor jab’ again
Trump continued to poke fun at Mark Carney on Sunday by posting an image of him and Trump playing hockey. Carney was sprawled out on the ice while Trump was wearing a USA Hockey shirt, telling Carney “Get up, Governor.”
Trump has called a number of prime ministers “governors” in the past. He’s also suggested that Canada be the 51st state to join the United States. Trump referred to Carney’s predecessor Justin Trudeau as “Governor Trudeau”, after he took office in January 2025.
Trump had earlier said that the Canadian exchange rate against that of the U.S. was “inacceptable,” and it has “been this way for years.”
The post stated that “Canada’s Dollar (currency imbalance) with the U.S. was unacceptable.” It has been this way for many years, but not anymore!
Trump didn’t clarify his post. Carney had not yet responded to Trump’s remarks as of Monday.
Social media is awash with posts about the ongoing trade dispute between Canada and U.S.
The tariffs against U.S. goods will be implemented on Tuesday. They affect nearly 28 billion dollars worth of American products including plywood, dairy products and sunscreen.
After the collapse of trade negotiations between Canada and the U.S., Trump imposed tariffs in August on a wide range of goods, from cement and hockey sticks to honey.
Carney stated that Canada wants to diversify their trading partners, and the best way for us all to work together is by looking out for each other.