Trump pauses 50pc tariffs on Canadian goods for three days as both sides signal broader trade agreement

Dawn reported that US President Donald Trump has put a three-day hold on planned 50 per cent tariffs on select Canadian goods, announcing the reprieve hours before a midnight deadline. Negotiators from both countries now describe a wider accord as within reach, following a lengthy round of talks. Trump wrote on Truth Social that the two countries have a deal, pending the completion of paperwork.

The targeted items, including wine, hockey sticks and cement, account for about 5.5 per cent of Canadian exports to the US, worth roughly $20 billion according to Oxford Economics. Carney took a more measured stance, saying notable headway has been made toward a comprehensive deal while stressing that considerable work remains. Ottawa was reportedly willing to press provinces to return US alcohol and wine to store shelves as part of its concessions.

Earlier, the White House had cited what it called discriminatory treatment of American alcohol, automobiles and dairy products by Canada. Oxford Economics described the overall risk to Canada's economy as modest, while expecting the duties to weigh far more heavily on central Canada's manufacturing. Trump also used his post to call for reviving the Keystone XL pipeline, a project blocked under Biden.