Trump just carved Canadian goods out of his 50% tariff wall — but swapped in canoes, coffins and shampoos

What Trump signed

President Donald Trump signed an order on Friday removing 50 per cent tariffs on some Canadian agricultural and forestry products, Reuters reported. The order exempts plywood sheets, some paper products, certain machinery and refrigeration equipment, and packing crates and boxes, as well as fresh and dried seaweed, the White House said. The changes take effect on October 30 — four days before the November 3 U.S. midterm elections. But it was not all relief: Trump added a number of Canadian products to the 50 per cent tariff list to offset the exemptions, including carpets, paints, waste, shampoos, cocoa powder, wooden coffins, ice cream sticks, air-conditioning machines, chest freezers, archery equipment and canoes.

Why Maine

The White House framed the exemptions as helping an embattled Republican ally. Senator Susan Collins of Maine — locked in a tight reelection battle, Reuters reports — had urged the administration to address tariffs on products affecting Maine companies and farmers in a state that borders Canada. Collins said the relief would aid Maine's blueberry, potato, apple and seaweed producers. "These producers are a vital part of our state's economy and support our rural and coastal communities," Collins said. "Many of our farmers and growers rely on specialized equipment, packaging materials and other products from Canada that are either unavailable from American suppliers or cannot be replaced without incurring significant expense." Democrat Troy Jackson is challenging Collins in a race polls indicate is very close, and the two sparred over tariffs at an October 6 debate, Reuters reported.

The Canadian angle

For Canadian producers, the exemptions are real but narrow — paper, plywood and packaging cross the border constantly, and Maine's economy is deeply intertwined with New Brunswick's. The additions sting: Canadian-made carpets, paints and freezers now face the 50 per cent rate. And the bigger picture hasn't moved. The White House factsheet describes the changes as modifications to Proclamation 11048 — "Imposing Additional Duties To Offset Canadian Discrimination Against the Commerce of the United States With Respect to Motor Vehicles" — meaning the tariff architecture around Canada's auto sector stands untouched. With the U.S.–Canada trade talks broken down and Washington accusing Ottawa of election interference this week, Ottawa gets modest relief for some exporters and a new tariff list for others. A broader deal remains, in Reuters' words, close — but not closed.