US ends tariffs on some Canadian products and replaces them with others amid tight race for Susan Collin in Maine

The White House announced on Friday (local time) that US President Donald Trump has decided to waive 50% tariffs on some Canadian agricultural and forestry products. However, the announcement added that new tariffs have been announced on some other Canadian products.

Starting Oct. 30, tariffs will be eased on products including “plywood, certain paper products, certain machinery and refrigeration equipment,” the White House said.

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Dominic LeBlanc, Canada’s minister responsible for trade with the US, said Ottawa is reviewing Trump’s latest tariff change. “Canada is ready to work constructively and in good faith toward a more mutually beneficial trade relationship that respects Canada’s interests,” LeBlanc said in a statement, according to Reuters.

Why it matters to Susan Collins

Republican Sen. Susan Collins, who is in a tight race in the upcoming midterms, first made the announcement, saying the exemptions would help Maine agriculture. Collins, who is seeking re-election, is locked in a tight race with her Democratic rival, Troy Jackson. The latest polls show Jackson leading Collins by an average of 2 percentage points.

Trump added a number of Canadian products to the 50% tariff list to offset the tariff relief provided in his order, including carpets, paint, trash, shampoo, cocoa powder, wooden coffins, ice cream sticks, air conditioners, freezers, archery equipment and canoes.

Collins said the relief will help Maine blueberry, potato, apple and seaweed producers.

“These manufacturers are an important 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 not available from American suppliers or cannot be replaced without significant expense.”

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Collins previously complained that Trump’s levies hurt Maine farms and businesses that rely on Canadian imports when U.S.-made alternatives aren’t available. Her office cited the example of wild blueberry growers in Maine who need specialized pick boxes from Canada that work with their processing equipment.

The Democratic candidate blames Collins

But Jackson insisted that Collins deserves blame for enabling Trump’s tariff policy.

“Trump’s trade wars have made life harder and more expensive for Mainers. Susan Collins enabled this chaos, voted to confirm the people behind it, and now wants credit for bringing a cup of water to put out the fire,” Jackson said in a social media post.

Trump’s tariffs affect Republican candidates

Trump imposed 50% tariffs on $20 billion of Canadian imports in August, taking effect after negotiations between the two countries collapsed. Canada retaliated in September by imposing tariffs of 15% to 50% on $20 billion worth of American goods.

Canada and the United States have been at loggerheads over the tariffs since Trump imposed them. Trump said Friday that Canada is working on a deal.

According to Reuters, Republican candidates in the northern US border states most affected by the tariffs, including Maine and Michigan, are trying to strike a balance between appealing to Trump’s conservative base and winning over independent voters.

The economies of Michigan and Maine have long been intertwined with Canada’s, covering everything from auto parts to lumber to fruit picking equipment.

Inflation is a major concern for voters

While Trump has insisted that foreign countries pay his tariffs, the extra costs are often passed on by US importers to end customers, making them more expensive in an economy reeling from high inflation.

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A poll by the Associated Press and the NORC Center for Public Affairs Research ahead of the midterm elections found that many Americans are furious about the cost of living. The poll, conducted between September 24 and 28, found that 65% now blame Trump’s policies for persistently high prices more than factors outside his control, signaling weariness with his aggressive use of tariffs and dissatisfaction with the war with Iran, which has driven up gasoline prices.