Canada should impose tougher tariffs

Re: “Tariffs could raise food price, grocery CEO says,” June 29. Canada is retaliating against the U.S., which imposed 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian exports of steel. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau indicated he will not be pushed around by the U.S., so he is imposing a 10 per cent duty on U.S. exports of food products to Canada.

This is simply the silliest and most useless move the prime minister could make. It will not make a bit of difference to the U.S. manufacturers, and it will give the Canadian government a few dollars of additional revenue from Canadian taxpayers. Now a $4 bottle of ketchup will cost us $4.40. No change to the U.S. manufacturer, but an additional 40 cents for the Canadian government.

Experts state that, on average, Canadian consumers will pay an additional $2 per week for their food as an added tax to the Canadian government.

On the other hand, the European Union has imposed a 31 per cent tariff on Harley-Davidson motorcycles, and that company is now contemplating moving some of its production outside of the U.S. This move will have a positive effect in countering the U.S. tariffs.

Canada should learn from the EU initiative and impose real and serious tariffs on U.S. manufactured goods, and not just monkey around trying to show toughness while acting like a lamb. Roger Cyr Victoria