Canada braces for trade clash as Trump threatens 50% auto tariffs

Trump’s plan to impose 50% tariffs on Canadian-made cars has Canada’s leaders, including Mark Carney, warning that the move targets Canada’s big industries and is not surprising, while Ottawa pledges to defend sovereignty and deploy leverage (like critical minerals and electricity) to press for a better deal; officials say Canada can weather the impact with its fiscal capacity, but warn that small businesses and workers may suffer, as they outline measures and responses such as supporting affected businesses and pursuing strategic trade strategies like a large icebreaker fleet to safeguard trade routes.