Canada, Greenland, Mexico, etc - USA Tariffs / Trade War commencing March 2025 #5

[Mo Thuairim]

How Trump’s trade war with China will hurt the American farmers who voted him in​

[...]

To analyze which nation might blink first, CNN examined China’s largest imports from the United States — soybeans — to see if and how that demand could be met elsewhere, what US farmers stand to lose and more.

[...]

China buys mainly agricultural products from the US, including soybeans, oilseeds and grains. Soybean imports, mostly used for animal feed, already took a hit during Trump’s first term when the two countries sparred in an earlier trade war.

At the time, China sought to diversify the source of its imports and looked to other countries for agricultural products. It’s set to do that again after imposing a 125% tariff on all US imports – a move analysts expect could send China’s imports of American agricultural commodities like soybeans close to zero.

US soybean exports to China are now subject to a total tariff of 135%, resulting from the 10% tariff imposed on certain agricultural products in March plus the 125% levy announced on Friday.

During the first US-China trade war, Brazil — the world’s leading soybean exporter — emerged as a winner, with China’s imports of the legume surging over the years. Brazilian soybean exports to China have grown by more than 280% since 2010 while US exports have remained flat.

[...]

With production expected to rise — the Brazilian soybean crop is projected to reach record levels this year — China could increase its imports from Brazil and other South American countries like Argentina, which is currently the world’s third-largest soybean producer after Brazil and the US.

[...]

The US agricultural sector lost around $27 billion during the 2018 trade war, with 71% of the losses being soybean-related, according to the American Soybean Association.

And farmers, many of whom live in states that went for Trump in the 2024 election, are still struggling with the fallout. Only Illinois, the top soybean producer, and Minnesota, the third-largest soybean producing state, went for former Vice President Kamala Harris last November.

[...]

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/13/business/american-farmer-china-trade-trump-intl-hnk-dg/index.html

 

[LovesPeace2]

David Eby takes tougher line against B.C. agencies doing business with the U.S.

Vaughn Palmer: B.C. would be selective in managing its ties, said Eby

vancouversun.com

It applies to contracts and suppliers large and small.
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“Make sure that you’re cancelling travel that’s not essential. Look at the subscriptions in your office. Minimize your participation in American trade organizations,” said the premier.
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“Ensure that when there’s a viable Canadian alternative, you’re choosing that company, you’re choosing that publication, you’re choosing that organization.”
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The only practical limitation, other than availability, is cost.



Nor does the premier’s edict mean that B.C. would be exercising a preference for China.
Article content
Rather, he’s encouraged Prime Minister Mark Carney to “build a coalition of countries that value democracy, that value human rights, that value environmental protection, and that value free trade, and work together with them.”
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“We’ve got many countries that are facing threats from the U.S. in Asia — Japan, South Korea, Singapore — we’ve got Australia, New Zealand, the U.K., the EU, the Philippines, I could go on — India,” said Eby.

 

[LovesPeace2]

'Correct mistakes': China calls on US to 'completely cancel' reciprocal tariffs - The Times of India

China News: China urges the US to completely eliminate reciprocal tariffs imposed during the Trump administration, which have escalated to 145%. Describing the re

timesofindia.indiatimes.com

We urge the US to... take a big step to correct its mistakes ..

 

[indicolite22]

New tariffs are coming:

After Pres. Trump exempts tech like phones, computers and chips from new tariffs, Commerce Sec. Howard Lutnick tells @JonKarl they will be included in semiconductor tariffs to be released in coming months.

https://twitter.com/x/status/1911409906407682355

Are these people still serious about iphones being made in the US?

 

[LovesPeace2]

No retreat on tariffs, Trump promised. Hours later, he blinked

As the economic and political pressure became unbearable, the US president changed course – but has the damage been done?

www.theguardian.com

 

[indicolite22]

Dystopian future:

His executive order touts the importance of “coal-based infrastructure to power data centers to meet the electricity needs of AI and high-performance computing operations.” In Trump’s vision of the future, miners pull coal from the ground to power artificial intelligence, eliminating jobs and enriching the tech barons who are helping Trump dismantle the government we all rely on.
...
At a black-tie fundraiser Tuesday evening, Trump told the assembled donors that his coal miner supporters don’t need a different economic future. “They love to dig coal,” he said. “That’s what they want to do. They don’t want to do gidgets and widgets and gadgets. They don’t want to build cell phones with their hands. They’re big strong hands.”

Opinion | With coal executive orders, Trump returns to the scene of the con

Just as the coal companies bled coal workers dry, today it is Trump and his party that exploit them with false promises.

www.msnbc.com

 

[acutename]

That might be another reason that the USA government desperately wants control of Canada - energy for AI. Canada is already ahead of the USA with a proposed centre already going through approvals in Alberta.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/edmonton/why-celebrity-investor-kevin-o-leary-is-proposing-a-massive-ai-data-centre-in-northern-alberta-1.7407506

Wonder Valley – O'Leary Ventures

olearyventures.com

Canada has "nothing the US needs" but the US wants it to be the 51st State.... OK.

 

[otto]

"Indeed this weekend's broad range of exemptions are in and of themselves an astonishing U-turn ....

Just under a quarter of China's total exports are now exempt from the 125% tariff ....

The White House has gone from clearly suggesting that there would be no negotiation on the baseline 10% tariffs to offering exemptions to the very products causing the deficit that the entire policy was supposed to solve.

This is a lot more than a "row back". Some have called it the "Art of the Repeal".

The US is now negotiating with the bond markets, and itself."

Trump's iPhone olive branch is a significant trade war retreat

Exempting electronics from US tariffs is a stunning about-turn by the Trump administration after 10 days of chaos.

www.bbc.com

If the USA government would take a moment to think before acting, this would not be a necessary "repeal". Lurching tariffs takes on the appearance of clownish, bumbling fools where no one is in charge, no one knows what they're doing and there is no short and long term plan. Untrustworthy and unreliable are reinforced traits of the USA government on a daily basis.

"The White House has gone from clearly suggesting there would be no negotiation on the baseline 10% tariffs to offering exemptions to the very products causing the deficit the entire policy was supposed to solve.

This is a lot more than a "row back". Some have called it the "Art of the Repeal". The 4D chess has been replaced by someone playing one dimensional checkers, but unable to tell the difference between opposing pieces.

The US is now negotiating with the bond markets, and itself. The rest of the world will just see how this plays out now."

Trump exempts smartphones and computers from new tariffs

 

[otto]

Canada has "nothing the US needs" but the US wants it to be the 51st State.... OK.

Canada knows that the USA desperately wants Canadian water, oil, energy, potash, rare earth elements, minerals, access to Arctic shipping lanes and more. The USA government can deny this as often as it likes, but Ontario can turn off electricity to four Eastern states in a day. Alberta can halt oil exports and send the price of gas off the charts. BC can alter Columbia river dams and reduce water to states across the border.

The USA government makes false statements, many believe it, but Canadians know better.

 

[Herat]

If the USA government would take a moment to think before acting, this would not be a necessary "repeal". Lurching tariffs takes on the appearance of clownish, bumbling fools where no one is in charge, no one knows what they're doing and there is no short and long term plan. Untrustworthy and unreliable are reinforced traits of the USA government on a daily basis.

"The White House has gone from clearly suggesting there would be no negotiation on the baseline 10% tariffs to offering exemptions to the very products causing the deficit the entire policy was supposed to solve.

This is a lot more than a "row back". Some have called it the "Art of the Repeal". The 4D chess has been replaced by someone playing one dimensional checkers, but unable to tell the difference between opposing pieces.

The US is now negotiating with the bond markets, and itself. The rest of the world will just see how this plays out now."

Trump exempts smartphones and computers from new tariffs

Truly, who's in charge of the tariffs?

Trump. Bessent. Lutnik.

A different story every 12 hours. You can't run a snack stand at a high school football game like this, far less the once-largest economy in the world.

 

[otto]

Dystopian future:

His executive order touts the importance of “coal-based infrastructure to power data centers to meet the electricity needs of AI and high-performance computing operations.” In Trump’s vision of the future, miners pull coal from the ground to power artificial intelligence, eliminating jobs and enriching the tech barons who are helping Trump dismantle the government we all rely on.
...
At a black-tie fundraiser Tuesday evening, Trump told the assembled donors that his coal miner supporters don’t need a different economic future. “They love to dig coal,” he said. “That’s what they want to do. They don’t want to do gidgets and widgets and gadgets. They don’t want to build cell phones with their hands. They’re big strong hands.”

Opinion | With coal executive orders, Trump returns to the scene of the con

Just as the coal companies bled coal workers dry, today it is Trump and his party that exploit them with false promises.

www.msnbc.com

He wants to plunge the USA into the dark ages before oil and electricity made life safer and air cleaner. Who does he see working in the coal mines - those 14 year olds who can now legally work throughout the night?

Trump definitely envisions a future with a two-tiered society of aristocrats and workers, a feudal system of property owners and people who work for the privilege of having a shack where they can sleep and eat. Since immigrants are not viewed as those who "love to dig coal", is this the future he has planned for the middle class?

 

[Herat]

He wants to plunge the USA into the dark ages before oil and electricity made life safer and air cleaner. Who does he see working in the coal mines - those 14 year olds who can now legally work throughout the night?

Trump definitely envisions a future with a two-tiered society of aristocrats and workers, a feudal system of property owners and people who work for the privilege of having a shack where they can sleep and eat. Since immigrants are not viewed as those who "love to dig coal", is this the future he has planned for the middle class?

I think he envisions the 14 year old children of the coal miners he feted at the White House

The ones with the Big Strong Hands.

His comments were really demeaning to those miners. In his mind, I think they are those haunting sooty-faced pale men down in the dark dank mines with the carts drawn by mules we see photos off from the 1800's.

A lot about mining now is more technical and mechanized. He just thinks they are too stupid to be anything but manual laborers.

 

[otto]

Truly, who's in charge of the tariffs?

Trump. Bessent. Lutnik.

A different story every 12 hours. You can't run a snack stand at a high school football game like this, far less the once-largest economy in the world.

My opinion is that Trump's inner team has divergent theories about how to extort money from foreign countries. Because those theories conflict with each other, there is no coherent plan. One day he takes advice from one team member, the next day it's another. That results in confusing chaos, bold brash statements, retractions, bumbling lurching tariffs, feebleness and loss of confidence in the USA economy.

 

[Herat]

Canada knows that the USA desperately wants Canadian water, oil, energy, potash, rare earth elements, minerals, access to Arctic shipping lanes and more. The USA government can deny this as often as it likes, but Ontario can turn off electricity to four Eastern states in a day. Alberta can halt oil exports and send the price of gas off the charts. BC can alter Columbia river dams and reduce water to states across the border.

The USA government makes false statements, many believe it, but Canadians know better.

The major Columbia River hydroelectric dams are in the US, not BC.

Grand Coulee is the major hydroelectric dam on the Columbia and it is in Washington State. The Dalles and Bonneville Dams bridge the Columbia between Washington and Oregon.

Under the 1961 Columbia River Treaty, power from the Grand Coulee Dam goes go to supply British Columbia's electricity grid.

The Canadian dams on the Columbia and it's tribularies provide a small amount of hydroelectric power, but are more significant for water resource and flood management.

 

[otto]

I think he envisions the 14 year old children of the coal miners he feted at the White House

The ones with the Big Strong Hands.

His comments were really demeaning to those miners. In his mind, I think they are those haunting sooty-faced pale men down in the dark dank mines with the carts drawn by mules we see photos off from the 1800's.

A lot about mining now is more technical and mechanized. He just thinks they are too stupid to be anything but manual laborers.

He probably sees those people who "love to dig coal" with "big strong hands" as the people who elected him twice. Even he must recognize that anyone who voted for an authoritarian government, that thrives on propaganda and endorses extortion for enrichment, must be lacking something. Voters who approve of a man who resorts to profanity and shouting during meetings with foreign leaders must believe that is acceptable, normal professional behaviour. Anyone who views taunting as funny cannot be thinking clearly.

 

[otto]

The major Columbia River dams are in the US, not BC.

Grand Coulee is the major hydroelectric dam on the Columbia and it is in Washington State. The Dalles and Bonneville Dams bridge the Columbia between Washington and Oregon.

Under the 1961 Columbia River Treaty, power from the Grand Coulee Dam goes go to supply British Columbia's electricity grid.

The Canadian dams on the Columbia and it's tribularies provide a small amount of hydroelectric power.

"Since 1964, the Columbia River Treaty has required Canada to control the flow of the river, via dams, to meet U.S. needs for hydropower and flood prevention. The treaty also obliges the U.S to give Canada half the additional potential hydroelectric power produced by treaty dams, which can be sold at market value.
...

The Columbia River is the fourth largest watershed in North America, flowing about 2,000 kilometres from B.C's Columbia Lake into Washington State, entering the Pacific near Astoria, Ore. With some 60 dams on the river and tributaries, it today delivers more than 40 per cent of U.S. hydroelectric power, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, and about half the hydropower in B.C.

When the treaty was ratified in 1964, Canada agreed to build three dams in B.C. to manage the flow of the Columbia, flooding 110,000 hectares in southeastern B.C.
...

"If Canada really wants to play hardball, it can say we're serving notice of termination and say we're going to run this river exactly how we want to run this river," Pearkes said.
...

Wagner says losing the treaty could benefit Canada, despite the loss of payments. "The United States would be in a much worse position than we are. We could generate an awful lot more hydropower on the Canadian side of the border, for instance," Wagner said. "I mean, we could do really wonderful things."

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/columbia-river-treaty-trump-1.7462660

 

[Stunned]

I think he envisions the 14 year old children of the coal miners he feted at the White House

The ones with the Big Strong Hands.

His comments were really demeaning to those miners. In his mind, I think they are those haunting sooty-faced pale men down in the dark dank mines with the carts drawn by mules we see photos off from the 1800's.

A lot about mining now is more technical and mechanized. He just thinks they are too stupid to be anything but manual laborers.

Did he get his information from Vance?

 

[branmuffin]

pretty sure in my lifetime, some US brands- Dexter, Redwing, etc. off shored. Just saved them $. Looking at the web site, some Redwings are still made in MN and MS.
Lots of shirt and sock manufacturers (Hanes?) moved to off shore. I really like Fox River socks- think they are still from IA. but US made clothing is the exception- often pricey and "boutique," not mainstream and affordable. IMO. Some ski towns gave rise to outdoor clothing (Chuck Roast NH; Telluride CO) but once they grow to a certain size, tend to off shore IMO. thought Arcteryx was US but it started in BC (sorry Canadians) - bought out by Salomen/Addidas.... successful little companies get bought out unless they REALLY want to stay small. That is an effect of capitalism.

I was buying Bombas socks. They are incredible but pretty expensive, start around twenty eight bucks for one quarter size pair. Anywhere from $81 to $105 for a four pack. They are famous for giving one pair of socks donating socks to organization who help the homeless people. One pair for charity for everyone pair bought. Imagine my surprise when I found out these socks are made in China. I guess I was just dumb enough to think a $28 pair of socks was manufactured in the US. No wonder they can afford to give away 150 million pairs of socks. They are great socks and I was willing to overlook their price but a couple of years ago they suspended shipping to Canada. Too costly. I wonder what their profit margin is. Now I buy Balega from Amazon, cheaper and free delivery. I'm sure they're made in China, too.

I don't think a lot of people are aware of how their lives have improved by being able to afford a lot of the things they want because they ARE made in China or in Southeast Asian countries like India and Vietnam. You can and complain all day long about the lack of manufacturing in western countries but if you get your wish about domestic manufacturing your lifestyle will be seriously impacted by products you take for granted now will be out of reach when the time comes to replace them.

 

[otto]

I was buying Bombas socks. They are incredible but pretty expensive, start around twenty eight bucks for one quarter size pair. Anywhere from $81 to $105 for a four pack. They are famous for giving one pair of socks donating socks to organization who help the homeless people. One pair for charity for everyone pair bought. Imagine my surprise when I found out these socks are made in China. I guess I was just dumb enough to think a $28 pair of socks was manufactured in the US. No wonder they can afford to give away 150 million pairs of socks. They are great socks and I was willing to overlook their price but a couple of years ago they suspended shipping to Canada. Too costly. I wonder what their profit margin is. Now I buy Balega from Amazon, cheaper and free delivery. I'm sure they're made in China, too.

I don't think a lot of people are aware of how their lives have improved by being able to afford a lot of the things they want because they ARE made in China or in Southeast Asian countries like India and Vietnam. You can and complain all day long about the lack of manufacturing in western countries but if you get your wish about domestic manufacturing your lifestyle will be seriously impacted by products you take for granted now will be out of reach when the time comes to replace them.

Made in Canada:

Socks made in Canada | J.B. Field's | Great Canadian Sox | Great Sox

Canada's oldest and largest sock manufacturer located in Toronto. We specialize in merino wool socks, hiking socks, thermal and boot socks. And offer compression socks, diabetic socks as well as women's and men's dress socks. We are your one stop shop for socks!

greatsox.com

Kootenay Sock Company | Merino Wool Socks | Made in Canada

Merino wool Kootenay socks made in Canada. Comfortable and dry feet during outdoor activities, cushion your soles in work boots and stay warm around the house.

kootenaysocks.ca

Canadian company, Made in Italy

Shop Mismatched Socks | Friday Sock Co. | Designed in Canada

We offer uniquely designed mismatched socks, designed in Canada and ethically made in Italy. Support our Canadian small business and add a playful touch to your wardrobe. Explore our vibrant collection and find your perfect pair of fun, high-quality socks today.

www.fridaysocks.com

 

[branmuffin]

From what I've heard from people who have bought from Temu, the quality can vary.
Many were happy with what they bought.

Re where things are made. When I moved to this country town, population was about 20,000.
This town along with similar sized country towns had it's own soft drink manufacturing.
There was a shoe making factory which made good quality shoes.

A nearby town had an appliance manufacturing business where they made leading brand washing machines.
All those have been gone for years now.

Years later i was surprised to see a name everyone was talking about, Email.
I thought the Orange appliance maker was coming back. It was called Email, yonks before the name got purloined.

I agree with you. I grew up in a small town too, which is now a bedroom community of Toronto, and we had a lot of small businesses: furniture making, etc. They are all gone. I guess workers migrated to the big places like GM in Oshawa and the steel mills. They are still there but aren't anywhere nearly as robust as they once were. The thing I don't understand about these big companies like GM in Oshawa that were running 24 hours a day, using 3 shifts back in the 70s and mid 80s. That's when it started to lay off workers. Down to 2 shifts. And most of those workers seemed to be legacy workers where their dads, uncles and grandfathers worked in GM. It was a solid income with a decent pension. But even after the layoffs started, going from about 25000 employees to a skeleton crew of about 3000, there's still young men out there quitting school in grade 11 to go work at GM and get surprised when they get laid off. Even though the cycle has been around for a least a generation. They don't upgrade their skills, go back to school, just about their lot in life and expect the unions to get blood from a stone. It baffling to me. Once those huge employers start cutting back that's when the towns start dying. And it isn't even industries directly related to the car manufacturers. It's the ancillary industries that shrivel up, too; the restaurants, the barbers and hairdressers, mechanics, doctors and lawyers, all the industries that serve a middle class city that has just lost about 25 percent of its workforce. It's sad.