Consumers on both sides of the United States-Canada border believe the recent and escalating tit-for-tat trade spat has been damaging to bilateral relations, and the majority think President Donald Trump is at fault.
According to polling data released Wednesday by Politico, 83 percent of Canadians and 56 percent of Americans believe the U.S. commander in chief was in the wrong for imposing tariffs on Canada in the first place. Just 26 percent of U.S. respondents said the action was justified.
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Conducted by Politico and Public First from Sept. 13-15, the survey of 2,064 U.S. adults and 2,119 Canadian adults illuminated the glaring unpopularity of current tariff policy, and it showed that most North Americans view the U.S. as the culprit in the trade war.
What’s more, the enmity felt by Canadians for the U.S., along with the national pride, are swelling—a worrisome unintended consequence that could have impacts on American exporters.
According to the polling, 57 percent of Canadians believe Canada should put tariffs on goods imported from the U.S. to match the tariffs the U.S. has placed on the Canada, and 54 percent of Canadians believe Canada should do so to protect its domestic makers, even if consumers have to pay higher prices at retail on locally made goods.
S. leader is worth the higher prices they might be seeing at retail. The vast majority (71 percent) of Canadians (and one-third of Americans) said Prime Minister Mark Carney was in the right to hit back with reciprocal tariffs.
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