Washington/Ottawa, Mar 9 (IBNS): Giving a sigh of relief to Justin Trudeau, US President Donald Trump has exempted Canada from the trade tariffs imposed on metal imports for now, media reports said.
Trump on Thursday signed the proclamations of imposing trade tariffs of 25% and 10% on steel and aluminium imports respectively from all countries but Canada and Mexico.
Canada, Mexico and the US are partners in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA).
However Trump has cleared that the decision to exempt Canada and Mexico can be changed in future.
During the signing ceremony, Trump said: "Due to the unique nature of our relationship with Canada and Mexico ... we're gonna hold off the tariff for those two countries."
"If we don't make the deal on NAFTA, and if we terminate NAFTA ... we'll start all over again. Or we'll just do it a different way. But we'll terminate NAFTA, and that'll be it. But I have a feeling we're gonna make a deal on NAFTA. ... If we do there won't be any tariffs on Canada, and there won't be any tariffs on Mexico" the US President was quoted by CTV News.
Earlier in a blackmailing tone, Trump had said Canada won't be exempted from the trade tariffs unless a new NAFTA is signed.
Canada, very likely, had reacted strongly to the Trump administration's idea of slapping of tariffs on metal imports.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had termed the move as "unacceptable".
In a tweet on Thursday, Trump gave a hint of Canada's exemption from the trade tariffs.
Trump hopes the imposition of tariffs will help him to bring back jobs to the US which he alleged to have been stolen by other countries that acted unfairly.
Image: facebook/@POTUS
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