NEW DELHI: US President Donald Trump has ordered bans on a broad range of Canadian alcoholic beverages, dairy products and motorcycles as his administration escalated its trade confrontation with Canada.
The import bans will take effect at 12:01 a.m. Eastern time on September 29, according to a series of White House proclamations. Canadian goods imported before that date but not cleared for consumption will remain subject to the existing 50 per cent duty.
A senior administration official told reporters that the measures were designed to counter Canadian retaliation, protect American production and restore what the White House considers a level playing field.
The official said the import bans would affect Canadian trade valued in the “single-digit billions”. Changes to the existing tariff list would not significantly alter the roughly $20 billion in trade covered by those duties.
“The actual economics of it is much more challenging for Canada than it is for us,” the official said, arguing that the measures covered about 0.1 per cent of overall US consumption.
The prohibited alcoholic beverages include packaged beer, sparkling wine, cider, sake, whisky, bourbon, rum, gin, vodka, tequila, brandy, liqueurs and other spirits.
Trump also barred designated Canadian dairy-related goods, including whey protein concentrates, modified whey, fluid whey, dried whey and several forms of molasses. Non-alcoholic beer is also covered.
A separate proclamation bars Canadian motorcycles and cycles fitted with engines exceeding 800cc.
Alongside the bans, Trump modified the range of Canadian products subject to the existing 50 per cent duties. Those changes will take effect on September 15.
