Doug Ford

The Rainbow Bridge across the Niagara River, connecting the United States to Canada, is shown in 2024. On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed orders mandating new 50% tariffs against some Canadian imports. File Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo

July 20 (UPI) — President Donald Trump signed orders Monday to impose a new 50% tariff on many Canadian imports, saying it’s because of “discriminatory treatment” of U.S. products.

The tariffs take effect Aug. 19 and affect a wide range of goods including wine, hockey sticks, electrical equipment and concrete.

Trump cited part of the Tariff Act of 1930 that allows a U.S. president to mandate a tariff up to 50% without congressional approval if a country is believed to be discriminating against U.S. goods. However, the law has not been applied this way before, CNN reported.

The Trump administration said the tariffs cover $20 billion worth of imports. They join ongoing tariffs from 15% to 50% imposed by the United States on Canadian steel, aluminum and copper, as well as Canadian softwood lumber, BBC News reported.

Last week, Trump threatened new tariffs on Canada as punishment for the smoke from hundreds of wildfires that drifted over the border and affected some U.S. cities. However, there was no mention of the wildfires in the orders signed Monday.

The tariffs affect all the goods in each category even if they are included under the existing free trade agreement between the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The Trump administration named dairy products, U.S. motor vehicles and alcohol Monday as the three U.S. products it says Canada discriminates against.

“President Trump is taking action to hold Canada accountable for its continued discrimination against and unreasonable and unequal treatment of U.S. commerce that has burdened and disadvantaged hard-working Americans,” a statement released by the White House said.

A few key Canadian imports are excluded from the new tariffs. These include energy products, potash, critical minerals, fish and some other goods.

In February, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the international tariffs imposed by Trump under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act of 1977. Trump said at the time that he would find other ways to impose tariffs.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Monday that Canada should retaliate against the new tariffs.

“If these tariffs proceed, Canada should respond tariff fortariff, dollar for dollar,” Ford posted on social media.

July 18 (UPI) — Ontario Premier Doug Ford on Saturday shot back at President Donald Trump, saying his comments about Canada’s efforts to control the ongoing wildfire crisis are a “shame” and “totally unacceptable.”

Trump threatened Friday to impose tariffs on Canadian imports and accused the country of “willful negligence” in its management of the blazes.

“I find it a shame, the administration in the U.S. and Congress people, writing these letters and blaming us,” Ford said in a press conference on Saturday. “They have a very short, short memory. We had the water bombers, everyone ready, going over to California — it was last year. We sent hydro linemen down to the Carolinas and Georgia to help out.”

Ford added, “That’s what neighbors do, right? You don’t get on and start threatening and criticizing because, guess what? One day it’s going to be your turn.”

As of Saturday, there were 959 active wildfires burning through Canada, 102 of which started in the past 24 hours, Canadian Interagency Forest Fire Centre reported.

The blazes have left more than 100 million Americans under air quality alerts, from Minnesota to Virginia.

“We are holding Canada responsible for the fact that they are not properly maintaining their Forests, and Brush therein, and the United States is being unnecessarily invaded by filthy, polluted, and unhealthy air, the quality of which is dangerous, and totally unacceptable!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Despite the dispute, Ford said Canadians would stand at the ready should Americans need support in the future.

“We’re going to be down there without hesitation to support our neighbors, which we should be,” he added.