The Latest: Trump signs executive orders ramping up trade war with Ottawa

OTTAWA – U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed new executive orders to retaliate after Canada imposed its latest set of counter tariffs on the United States.

The five new orders, which will take effect later this month, will completely bar imports of certain Canadian goods, including motorcycles, some dairy products and alcoholic beverages. They also remove some items from the tariff list completely, such as toilet paper and cement, while adding new products to be tariffed, including additional dairy products.

Here is the latest. All times eastern.

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6:15 p.m.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre says he’s in New York to meet with representatives of investors and business, but that his main audience is the “American people.”

“Through interviews on major business networks, I’ll make the case that both our countries can be safer, richer, and more affordable if we trade freely,” he says. 

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5:15 p.m.

U.S. Democratic Senators Jeanne Shaheen, Chris Coons, Patty Murray, Amy Klobuchar and Elissa Slotkin say in a joint statement that the states they represent rely on Canada as a key trading partner.

They say Trump is doubling down on a “pointless” trade war.

“His tariffs will squeeze our states’ small businesses harder and drive costs up for working families,” they say. “President Trump’s tariffs have already cost American families as much as $5,000 in some states, and his senseless trade war with Canada will only grow that number.”

The senators say partners around the world, including Canada, are increasingly looking to diversify away from the United States and deepen trade ties with other countries, including China.

“Congressional Republicans need to stand up to the president and do their part to give families and businesses on both sides of the border relief from this insanity,” says the statement.

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4:30 p.m.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe says the latest escalation of the trade dispute by the United States will have a relatively small impact on his province.
He says while Trump’s tariffs on some key Saskatchewan exports like honey and wooden furniture remain in place, Tuesday’s executive order removed tariffs from other exports, like road salt and electrical panels.

Moe says about 94 per cent of Saskatchewan’s exports remain tariff-free.
”Our goal should be 100 per cent tariff-free exports as tariffs hurt businesses, workers and families on both sides of the border,” he said.

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3:30 p.m.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says U.S. President Donald Trump’s power comes from people paying attention when he acts erratically.

He says we’re at the stage where people shouldn’t “feed the beast and just starve him of attention a little bit.”

At the same time, Kinew said the trade dispute needs to be addressed and Canadians need to understand America will exist long after Trump leaves office.

He’s calling for better relations with “reasonable actors” who could replace Trump and get the economy in order, and touted his government’s efforts to reduce American contracting.

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3:14 p.m.

U.S. Republican Senator Jerry Moran says the Trump administration’s decision to exempt salt from tariffs on Canadian imports is “welcome news” for Kansas businesses and taxpayers.  

He says salt is a critical commodity in his state, with local governments utilizing it to remove ice and keep Kansans “safe on the roads.”

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12 p.m.

The Canadian national anthem will be played alongside the American national anthem at the Buffalo Bills’ home opener game next week.

The football team says the Canadian anthem will be performed by the Barenaked Ladies during the pregame, while the American anthem will be preformed by Auli’i Cravalho.

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11:35 a.m.

Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego says U.S. President Donald Trump is making life more expensive for Americans with his tariff assault on Canada.

In a social media post, Gallego, a Democrat, says Trump is using trade policy to settle “petty feuds and personal vendettas” instead of helping the working class.

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10 a.m.

Calgary Mayor Jeromy Farkas is warning that U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war could add nearly half a billion dollars to his city’s costs.

In a social media post, Farkas says that is equal to a 12 to 18 per cent property tax increase in a single year.

The tariffs will affect Calgary’s water infrastructure, fire engines and roads, he says.

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Sept. 8, 2026

In a social media post issued late Tuesday, Maine Sen. Susan Collins said she appreciates the Trump administration’s flexibility as she continued to press for a trade resolution with Canada.

She said she wrote a letter to the administration saying a small town on the Canadian border could incur $10,000 in extra costs to salt its roads, threatening the town’s ability to provide municipal services.

Trump exempted some Canadian products from being tariffed altogether, including toilet paper, road salt and cement.

Collins said tariffs on forest products were still in place and would lead to higher costs in Maine.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 9, 2026.