Canada Joins Mexico in Achieving a Month’s Delay to Threatened Tariffs

Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau, said U.S. tariffs on his country’s goods would be postponed by 30 days as negotiations on a border deal took place, citing measures that had been announced December 17 as part of a C$1.3 billion border security plan, including the deployment of additional technology and personnel to “ensure 24/7 eyes on the border." 

According to The New York Times, Trudeau said the two countries would also establish a joint strike force to combat organized crime, fentanyl and money laundering. 

The February 3 announcement came after two telephone conversations with President Donald Trump, and only hours after Mexico negotiated a similar delay, agreeing to send thousands of troops to the U.S.-Mexico border.

Earlier February 3, Trump said that he planned to discuss with Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, within the next 24 hours, the 10% tariffs he had threatened against that country’s imports, which he characterized as an “opening salvo.” Those are still due to go into effect at 12:01am on February 4.

China’s ambassador to the United Nations, Fu Cong, said on February 2 that China planned to file a complaint with the World Trade Organization over the tariffs, and would consider retaliatory action.