Canada could use 2 key exports as leverage against Trump. One premier says that's a bad idea.
As the US-Canada trade war intensifies, Canadian officials are debating whether to use key natural resource exports like oil and potash as leverage against US tariffs. While some suggest aggressive retaliation, provincial leaders like Saskatchewan's Scott Moe warn that such moves would cause significant self-inflicted economic damage.
Why it matters
This illustrates the internal political friction within nations when deciding how to respond to international trade aggression.
Canada is the world's largest exporter of potash, a key fertilizer ingredient. Heywood Yu/Bloomberg/Getty Images Canada is hitting back at the US with billions of dollars in tariffs on US goods. Saskatchewan's premier says using oil and potash as leverage would hurt Canada, too. The trade fight is escalating, with Canada retaliating and President Donald Trump threatening even more tariffs. Canada is escalating its response to President Donald Trump's trade war, with another round of retaliatory tariffs set to take effect September 8. But two key Canadian exports — oil and potash, a key fertilizer ingredient — should stay out of the fight, one Canadian premier said Wednesday.
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