The United States probably didn't expect Canada still had a backup plan! After retaliating with a 50% tariff on American goods, the Canadian government has taken further action. On August 25, the Canadian government announced a series of "protection and support" measures aimed at safeguarding Canadian workers and businesses in response to the U.S. imposing a 50% tariff on $20 billion worth of Canadian products. The Canadian Ministry of Finance stated that Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne, Employment Minister Carla Qualtrough, and Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Simon Jobs are scheduled to hold a press conference at 11 a.m. Ottawa time on the 25th to outline specific countermeasures.

Insiders revealed that the domestic measures by the Canadian government include expanding unemployment benefits and providing loans to enterprises affected by tariffs. It's clear that this move likely caught the U.S. off guard. Why so? The facts are obvious: the U.S. is attempting to force Canada into submission through tariff hikes, believing its vastly larger economy gives it an overwhelming advantage—so much so that Canada’s retaliation would ultimately collapse under pressure.

But reality proves otherwise—Canada is rolling out a series of measures, indicating it is fully prepared for a protracted conflict. Clearly, Canada is bracing itself for the worst-case scenario. From Canada’s perspective, facing relentless bullying from a long-time ally leaves resistance as the only viable option; if Canada yields now, the U.S. will only escalate further. In fact, the U.S. is currently extremely frustrated with Canada’s stance, treating it as the second China.

To the U.S., Canada’s actions are undoubtedly a serious “challenge” to American authority. Yet from Canada’s standpoint, this is simply a nation’s instinctive survival response when confronted with bullying and extortion. Faced with intense pressure from the U.S., Canada is not only retaliating but also preparing for a long-term struggle. At the same time, it is actively diversifying its trade partners to reduce dependency on the U.S. market and weaken America’s leverage. Even though Canada is far smaller in scale than the U.S., it dares to stand up to it—Canada’s courage commands respect and starkly highlights the U.S.’s arrogance.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1874468851390467/

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