US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer told CBC News that Canada must accept higher tariffs and open its markets to American goods to reach a trade deal with the Trump administration.
Speaking on Capitol Hill after President Donald Trump’s State of the Union address on February 25, Greer laid out the US position plainly.
“If Canada wants to agree that we can have some level of higher tariff on them while they open up their markets to us on things like dairy and other things, then that’s a helpful conversation,” he told CBC correspondent Katie Simpson.
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Greer said Washington wants a renegotiated Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement with tighter rules of origin, more American industrial content, and a reshoring of automotive, steel, and aluminum supply chains.
He also accused Ottawa of failing to restore American wine and spirits to Canadian shelves, reopen procurement to US firms, or grant fair access to its dairy market. “If you want to have that deal, you need to have better rules, stricter rules,” he said.
The remarks came days after the US Supreme Court struck down, 6-3, the president’s use of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to impose tariffs. Trump replaced them with a 10% global levy under Section 122 of the 1974 Trade Act — a measure that lapses in 150 days without congressional approval.
Most Canadian exports remain exempt under CUSMA.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford pushed back hard.
“A tariff on Canada is a tax on Americans,” he told reporters, urging retaliatory duties on nickel, potash, aluminum, and road salt. Canadian and US trade officials spoke by phone Wednesday and plan to meet in Washington in the coming weeks.
Prime Minister Mark Carney departed the same day on a nine-day trip to India, Australia, and Japan to diversify Canada’s trade ties.
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