Washington sources reported that after citing national security reasons for slapping tariffs on Canadian metals, Donald Trump escalated his attacks on America's northern neighbor Tuesday, claiming its citizens were smuggling shoes across the border. Meanwhile Trump has angered Canada with his protectionist rhetoric, and has threatened to scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) in favor of a new bilateral trade deal.
He said "The tariffs are so massive. The tariffs to get common items back into Canada are so high that they have to smuggle them in". Trump continued "They buy shoes, and then they wear them. They scuff them up, they make them look old”. Moreover Canada is not going to take advantage of the United States any longer.
Further Canadians returning to their country from abroad receive certain
duty exemptions if they have been away for more than 24 hours. Meanwhile as
part of NAFTA renegotiation, Washington wants Ottawa to expand these waivers
to encourage Canadians to spend more in the US and such a measure would
negatively impact Canadian vendors.
