Maple Express | August 25, 2026 - Canada Announces Retaliatory Tariffs on 700 U.S. Products

Source: CP24

1. Canada Announces Retaliatory Tariffs on 700 U.S. Products

The federal government announced Tuesday it will hit the United States with dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs on roughly 700 American products, in response to U.S. President Donald Trump's 50 per cent tariffs on about $28 billion worth of Canadian goods. Washington's new tariffs took effect over the weekend after trade talks between the two countries broke down.

Government officials told reporters the tariff list was designed to match the U.S. levies on Canadian products, with individual product rates based on matching the U.S. rate for the same goods. Tariffs on steel and aluminum imported from the U.S., for example, will rise from 25 to 50 per cent, as will tariffs on furniture and clothing. The tariffs on nearly $28 billion worth of U.S. imports are set to take effect on Sept. 8.

Jobs and Families Minister Patty Hajdu said counter-tariffs are "less-than-ideal" for any country, but the federal government has no choice but to stand up for Canada and protect Canadian companies that produce these goods at home. Ministers also pledged $7.5 billion toward support measures for affected workers and businesses.

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2. Trump Threatens to Rename Lake Ontario 'Lake America'

U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday morning he is giving "serious consideration" to changing the name of Lake Ontario to "Lake America," writing on Truth Social that the U.S. doesn't "expect to doing much business with Ontario any longer." It would not be the first time Trump renamed a body of water — he previously renamed the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America, a change now reflected on Google Maps.

On Tuesday afternoon, the official White House account shared a Lego-style map of the United States labelling Lake Ontario as "Lake America." The map did not include Canada, instead depicting it as another body of water.

Industry Minister Melanie Joly responded that Canadians will "always call it Lake Ontario" no matter what. Mississauga Mayor Carolyn Parrish called Trump's idea a "pipe dream," while Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine mocked the focus, noting American troops are being killed overseas and families are paying more because of tariffs.

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3. Ford Says It's Time to Turn Down the Temperature

Ontario Premier Doug Ford made a series of appearances on U.S. television Tuesday, conceding it is time to turn down the temperature after things "got a little heated" and "a little personal" with U.S. President Donald Trump a day earlier. Ford called Trump a "loser," a "dictator" and the "king of bankruptcies" at a Monday press conference in Hamilton.

Ford joined CNN, Fox Business and ABC for interviews. He told CNN's Wolf Blitzer that the exchange got personal, but he wants to make a good deal for both countries, saying it's time to get back to the table and negotiate a fair deal because the dispute is hurting both the U.S. and Canada.

Asked Tuesday whether he went too far the day before, Ford replied "not at all." He called Trump's threats to stop doing business with Ontario "a lot of rhetoric," noting the province is America's third-largest trading partner globally. On Fox Business, Ford said he feels bad for autoworkers in Michigan, Ohio, Texas and Kentucky, since Canada buys more American autos than any other country.

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4. Toronto Mayoral Candidate Floats 'Province of New York' for State

If U.S. President Donald Trump renames Lake Ontario as "Lake America" to spite the province amid a trade war, Toronto mayoral candidate Brad Bradford says New York state should be known as "the Province of New York." After Trump threatened the rename Tuesday morning, Bradford shared a video hours later with a message for the president: "Two can play that game."

Sitting on a bench facing Lake Ontario, Bradford pointed to the state's history, noting that from 1664 until 1776 it was actually called the Province of New York, a British colony named after the Duke of York — James II of England.

Should he be elected in the Oct. 26 municipal election, Bradford joked he would see to it that New York is known as "the Province of New York" to honour its colonial roots, adding he's "even happy to send him a plaque." Jokes aside, Bradford said threatening to rename a shared body of water won't dampen Torontonians' patriotism, who can fight back by buying Canadian.

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5. This Remote Worker Has Made Canada's Wonderland His Office

When Ryan Zeitz works remotely, he doesn't stay home or set up at a café. The Richmond Hill resident goes to Canada's Wonderland, where he works from The Gryphon's Crown lounge for seven hours before going on a few rides at the end of the day. A comedian and mental health peer support worker, he spends his workday writing jokes, editing and posting content, and planning his 11-week stand-up comedy course.

This has been Zeitz's routine for the past 132 days. He spent $99 on a gold pass that included parking, another $110 on a dining plan, and later upgraded to the Prestige pass — $422.59 in total, including tax, carrying him through the end of the year. The 33-year-old, who has ADHD, said he stumbled into the idea after getting a pass and realized he had essentially prepaid for a year-and-a-half of food and drinks.

Grace Peacock, a Six Flags communications director, said the park is excited Zeitz is making the most of his season pass. Zeitz documents every beverage, meal and ride each day and plans to keep working at the park until his pass expires at the end of the year.

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6. Driver Charged in Fatal Pedestrian Collision in Newmarket

York Regional Police say charges have been laid against a driver who struck and killed a pedestrian in Newmarket late Monday night. The collision occurred near Davis Drive and Parkside Drive shortly before 11 p.m.

Police said a female pedestrian suffered serious injuries and was later pronounced dead in hospital. The driver, a 22-year-old man, remained on scene and was subsequently charged with dangerous operation causing death.

He is expected to appear in court on Tuesday. Police are seeking witnesses to assist with the investigation.

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7. Arrest Made in 2022 Murder of Toronto Father

Toronto police have charged a suspect with first-degree murder in connection with a 2022 Scarborough parking lot shooting that left a man dead. Police announced that 39-year-old Toronto resident Justin Longshaw was arrested Monday in connection with the death of 31-year-old Ding Ping Wang, who was shot and killed while sitting in his vehicle.

The case had remained cold until police released surveillance video last month showing a suspect at the scene the day before the Nov. 12, 2022 shooting at a plaza near Midland and Passmore avenues. Det.-Sgt. Sajeev Nair said the footage came to investigators' attention after a witness came forward.

Investigators believe Wang was targeted, though the motive remains unclear. Wang was described by police as a father who owned a kitchen cabinet business and was not involved in gangs or a high-risk criminal lifestyle. Weeks later, police linked the same suspect — believed to go by the name "Jay" — to another shooting at the same lot on March 10, 2023. Longshaw is expected in court Tuesday.

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8. Ontario Students Brace for Debt Amid OSAP Changes, Tuition Hikes

As a new school year approaches, Ontario post-secondary students are bracing for debt from changes to student financial aid. Earlier this year, Doug Ford's government announced it would sharply cut student grants, citing "unsustainable" costs. As of Aug. 1, the share of non-repayable grants a student can receive through OSAP has been cut from 85 per cent to a maximum of 25 per cent, with the rest in loans. The province also lifted a seven-year tuition freeze, allowing schools to raise tuition by up to two per cent a year for three years.

Aidan Jeffers, an incoming master's student at the University of Toronto, said 85 per cent of his OSAP funding is now loans. He expects to receive about $19,500 this year, $12,000 of which will go toward tuition, and may work 25 to 30 hours a week — even possibly visiting food banks.

Rory Norris, president of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance, said OSAP is the highest-ranked support students rely on. A provincial spokesperson said OSAP costs ballooned to $2.7 billion this fiscal year and would have hit $4.1 billion by 2028-29 without the changes, while tuition hikes average an extra $0.47 a day for university students and $0.18 for college students. Ontario and Saskatchewan remain the only two provinces where interest accrues on provincial student loans.

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9. B.C. Conservative Leader Denies Purging Party

B.C. Conservative Leader Kerry-Lynne Findlay has denied purging the party or changing her platform in ways that drove recent defections. At her first news conference with her shadow cabinet in Vancouver, she said she "hasn't fired anyone," and that executives who left either left voluntarily or were moved out by the party board.

The news conference came a day after long-serving Delta South legislator Ian Paton announced he was quitting the caucus to form a new party with another Conservative defector, Peter Milobar. Findlay said she hasn't changed her platform since winning the leadership, and that some may have left over "wanting to be the leader, or not liking the choice of the membership."

Findlay also criticized Premier David Eby for missing a debriefing by Prime Minister Carney about the U.S. trade war. She described her vision as one of "hope, prosperity, and optimism," and challenged the defectors to articulate an alternative. Findlay narrowly won the leadership in May.

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10. Montreal Police Suspend 4th Officer Over Racism Allegations

Montreal police have suspended a fourth officer over racism allegations at Station 39 in the Montreal North borough. The unit was dissolved in June over allegations of misconduct and racism.

In a news release, police reiterated that discriminatory or racist behaviour is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. The suspension took effect on Aug. 19.

Police Chief Fady Dagher announced at a late-night news conference on June 12 that 16 officers from Station 39 were under investigation, with two suspended over racial misconduct toward people they stopped. A third officer was suspended nearly two months later, announced by Dagher at a public meeting on Aug. 11. The investigation, overseen by the SPVM's Professional Standards Division, remains ongoing.

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