USA

Honda moves Civic production plans to Indiana from Mexico to avoid Trump’s tariffs

As Canada and Mexico braced for 25% tariffs on Tuesday, and China for another 10%, Honda became one of the first companies to cave – scrapping plans to produce its new Civic in Mexico in favor of Indiana, according to a report.

The Japanese auto giant had initially planned to manufacture the next-generation Civic in Guanajuato, Mexico, starting in November 2027, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.

Now, Honda plans to manufacture the new Civic in Indiana, starting in May 2028 — churning out around 210,000 vehicles each year, a source told the outlet.

Global: Trump’s sweeping tariffs on Canada, Mexico are now in effect

The first round of U.S. tariffs and Canada’s counter-tariffs are now in effect, marking the start of a trade war between the long-time North American allies.

As of Tuesday, a sweeping 25 per cent tariff has been imposed on all goods going into the United States from both Canada and Mexico, with a 10 per cent tariff on Canada’s energy exports.

CBC – Trump’s tariffs roil U.S. markets. And that’s the reaction that matters

Canada can huff, and puff, but if anything’s going to blow down Donald Trump’s house of tariffs it’s going to be the reaction within the United States.

And there are signs of pushback.

The stock market is turning, economic sentiment is nosediving, the U.S. president’s approval is receding, and American lawyers are preparing lawsuits.

Globe – U.S. triggers trade war with tariffs on Canada, Mexico

U.S. President Donald Trump launched a trade war with Canada at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday morning, citing a threat to national security posed by “unchecked drug trafficking.”

The U.S. is now imposing 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods, with a 10 per cent tariff on energy and critical minerals.

NatPo – Trudeau to address Canadians Tuesday morning as trade war with U.S. roars to life

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will address the country Tuesday morning, just hours after U.S. President Donald Trump’s executive order hitting Canada and Mexico with 25 per cent tariffs took effect.

CTV – Why are titans of industry holding their tongues amid punishing Trump tariffs?

The first round of U.S. tariffs and Canada’s counter-tariffs are now in effect, marking the start of a trade war between the long-time North American allies.

As of Tuesday, a sweeping 25 per cent tariff has been imposed on all goods going into the United States from both Canada and Mexico, with a 10 per cent tariff on Canada’s energy exports.

Premier Doug Ford says that his government will consider introducing legislation that would require retailers to place signage on shelves indicating whether a product is Canadian made amid a potential trade war with the United States.

Ford made the comment to reporters during a press conference on Monday as he discussed actions Ontario is prepared to take should President Donald Trump follow through on his threats of placing a 25 per cent tariff on most Canadian and Mexican good as soon as tomorrow.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Monday he’s ready to start a trade war with President Trump if the US leader moves forward with 25% tariffs on products from the northern nation at midnight.

Trudeau called America’s impending action against Canada “unjustified” and vowed to not let it go “unanswered.”

“Should American tariffs come into effect tonight, Canada will, effective 12:01 a.m. EST tomorrow, respond with 25 per cent tariffs against $155 billion of American goods – starting with tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods immediately, and tariffs on the remaining $125 billion on American products in 21 days’ time,” he said in a statement.

A month ago, I called for the government to immediately take actions before tariffs hit to make Canada less dependent on the U.S.

Liberals have done exactly nothing since then. And now, the tariffs hit—and they’ve left us helpless. pic.twitter.com/OfZG5HEHwM

— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) March 4, 2025

The tariffs U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose on Canada tomorrow are clearly an economic danger, but are they also an existential threat?

Trump in recent weeks has repeatedly suggested Canada should become the 51st state and threatened to use “economic force” to join the two countries together.

According to a poll out today, Canadians are taking the threat seriously.

Newly re-elected Premier Doug Ford doubled down Monday on his threat to cut off electricity flowing from Ontario to several American states if the U.S. moves ahead with tariffs.

“If they want to try to annihilate Ontario, I will do anything — including cutting off their energy — with a smile on my face,” Ford said during his first news conference since winning a third majority last week. Ontario is a major electricity exporter to New York, Michigan and Minnesota.

“They need to feel the pain. They want to come at us? We’ve got to go back twice as hard,” Ford continued.

h/t OntarioJohn and Mauser

There is the theory that President Trump is still bitter about his Canadian hotel ventures that went bust.

Some, on social media, have speculated that a 2019 photograph in which Justin Trudeau appeared poised to kiss Melania Trump, the first lady, at a Group of 7 gathering in France, left Mr. Trump with a grudge against the dashing Canadian prime minister.

And then there is the transactional view, that Mr. Trump sees the acquisition of Canada as the 51st state as the ultimate real estate deal that would seal his presidential legacy.

U.S. President Donald Trump says 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs, with a lower 10 per cent levy on Canadian energy, will start Tuesday.

Trump: For 40 years, the U.S. was exploited. Those who stole our money, jobs, and factories are now paying the price—through tariffs. pic.twitter.com/qQe144S4RO

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) March 3, 2025

I blame Trudeau. He has provoked Trump and gullible Canadians believed he was acting as a “patriot” when in fact he hoped to bolster LPC fortunes.

U.S. President Donald Trump has a talent for stirring the pot, and he’s done so in two countries with repeated suggestions that Canada should become the 51st American state. Of course, making Canada one state is hardly fair — each province should get its own star on the flag if we’re going to move in that direction. But there’s no good reason to go down that path at all, given most Canadians’ rejection of the idea, and the havoc it would play with the fraught political balance in the United States. Besides, it’s likely that both Canada and the U.S are too big and too centralized as it is.

As Donald Trump has raged, Canada has reacted.

In December, the federal government pledged an additional $1.3-billion to combat fentanyl trafficking, with increased border security measures that include drones, Black Hawk helicopters and mobile surveillance towers.

In February, Ottawa appointed its first ever “fentanyl czar,” longtime senior Mountie Kevin Brosseau, to oversee our fight against the deadly synthetic opioid.

If so he’s done something that will make junior’s Beijing bosses happy.

They must need mops to clean up the mouth froth from the floor at the Star.