Obama Hits Tariffs at Ohio Campaign Stop
The former president told a crowd that targeting Canadian trade policy makes little sense.
By Ishani Kapalli ·
Former U.S. President Barack Obama appeared in Cleveland on Saturday to rally voters for Democratic candidates, directing sharp criticism at the current administration's tariff measures involving Canada. Speaking to supporters ahead of the November midterm elections, he framed the dispute as an unnecessary conflict with a close ally.
Obama ridiculed the administration's approach to the northern border. "The big trade war he's starting now is with that well-known evil empire: Canada," he told the audience. He then listed Canadian exports to American culture, joking, "These are the people who gave us maple syrup and Martin Short," before adding that "they're the nicest people." He questioned why Donald Trump would pick a fight with "our friendly neighbours to the north."
The former president also criticized the economic impact of the levies more broadly. He stated that the tariffs have produced the negative outcomes many predicted, with American consumers facing the burden of increased costs. Those rising prices have created political challenges for Republicans in the midterms, particularly in states along the border.
Trade relations remain tense as the election approaches. The two countries have exchanged retaliatory tariffs since the levy campaign began last year, with measures cited as addressing fentanyl trafficking and trade imbalances. Negotiations broke down in August. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc stated on CBC's Power & Politics that Ottawa does not expect a resolution before the Nov. 3 vote.
Recent developments suggest a shift may be underway. On Friday, Trump announced plans to lift tariffs on certain Canadian products. Despite this move, Canadian officials indicated that no agreement will be finalized prior to the upcoming vote.
Trump has also addressed trade with Canada during his own campaign events. At a rally in Highland Heights, Kentucky, on Oct. 17, he told the crowd, "At some point, we're making a deal that's gonna be amazing." He added, "But for years we've lost billions and billions of dollars, and they just felt so emboldened." The former prime minister, Justin Trudeau, was called a "loser" by Trump, who then commented on the current prime minister, Mark Carney. "Your current guy's good … he's a nice guy, but he's not nice when it comes to trade," Trump said. "They're learning and they're suffering."
Source: CBC News
