When asked whether a "joke" about annexation is ever appropriate, Hoekstra said he could not comment on the president's relationship with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, which was notably rocky during the first Trump administration.

Canadian officials are set to meet with the U.S. commerce secretary in Washington today — days after a dust-up with U.S. President Donald Trump that ended with Ontario pausing its surcharge on electricity exports to the United States.

The latest move in U.S. President Donald Trump's plan to realign global trade came into force on Wednesday as all countries, including Canada, were hit with 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports into the United States.

Earlier Tuesday, Trump posted on social media that he would double the duties set to be implemented Wednesday in response to Ontario's decision to place a 25 per cent surcharge on electricity exports to three U.S. states.

While U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Sunday that Trump will follow through on his plan to impose 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports into the U.S., the billionaire financier added Trump's most recent tariff threat — against Canada's dairy and lumber exports — would not take effect until April.

Ottawa's new Trade Impact Program earmarks $5 billion over the next two years to help businesses cope with decreased U.S. sales and reach new global markets.

U.S. President Donald Trump's stiff duties have been temporarily paused on some Canadian products, bringing little relief as the tariff threat continues to hang over America's closest neighbour.

LeBlanc posted on social media that Canada will not proceed with planned retaliatory tariffs on $125 billion worth of U.S. products and will continue to push the Trump administration to drop all tariffs.

The Canadian and Mexican architects of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement say Donald Trump's trade war has crossed a line that essentially wipes out the continental trade pact, as experts suggest the president's actions are meant to rattle America's closest neighbours ahead of a mandatory review.

A day into Donald Trump's North American trade war, the U.S. president remained adamant that tariffs would benefit America even as a key member of his team has floated that a compromise could materialize Wednesday.