Oh Canada–The Art of Retaliation

Image of a book titled, "The Art of the Deal" with the word Deal replaced with Retaliation
The Art of the Retaliation

Canada Fights Back: Tariffs, Luminaires, and the Art of Trade Retaliation

As I was writing an article about tariffs, the TV chyron flashed breaking news: Canada had just released its list of products facing their 25% tariff. Naturally, I googled it to take a look.

Scrolling through the list felt like wandering the aisles of a grocery store—cheese, wine, peanut butter, and other consumer goods dominated the page. Then, buried near the bottom, I spotted it: luminaires.  You can read the complete list here.

At first, I held onto hope. The list mentioned searchlights and spotlights—maybe there was a loophole. Maybe general lighting would be spared. But then, I hit section 9405-42.90 and my optimism evaporated.

“Other electric luminaires and lighting fittings: Other, designed for use solely with light-emitting diode (LED) light sources.”

That’s it. No wiggle room, no escape clause. If this is a game of trade war tit-for-tat, this is the tat.

The Trade War Just Got Bigger

According to their website, as of 4 February 2025, Canada is imposing a 25% tariff on $30 billion worth of U.S. goods. The rules are clear:

  • These tariffs apply only to goods originating from the U.S. (as determined by the CUSMA Country of Origin Regulations).
  • They take effect immediately and will remain in place until the U.S. removes its tariffs on Canada.
  • If a shipment was already in transit when the tariffs kicked in, it’s safe. But anything shipped afterward? Welcome to the surcharge zone.

 

Canada Announces 25% Tariffs on US Luminaires
Canada Announces 25% Tariffs on US Luminaires

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