Maine Senator Susan Collins is asking both the U.S. and Canada to restart negotiations after President Trump’s 50 percent tariffs took effect Saturday.
“The on-again/off-again trade talks between the U.S. and Canada lead to higher costs, risk, and uncertainty for Maine businesses,” said Collins in an X post Saturday. “If the Administration proceeds with these tariffs, they will increase costs for Maine families, as most businesses will have no choice but to pass on the tariffs to their customers through higher prices.”
Canada is vowing to retaliate against the 50 percent tax on over $20 billion worth of Canadian goods. President Trump had delayed it while negotiations with Canada took place last week.
Collins says she’s hearing from Maine industries about the hardships and cost the tariffs will bring.
“Ever since the tariffs were first announced, I have heard from many businesses, farmers, and lobstermen concerned about the cost of navigating the tariffs, the lack of domestic supply chains, and the likely imposition of retaliatory tariffs by Canada,” Collins said in a news release.
She noted Maine imports $2 billion in non-petroleum products from Canada each year.
Collins is running for re-election in November against Democrat Troy Jackson in a U.S. Senate race that’s being closely watched nationally.
