National News

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Canada will hit back with steep, immediate retaliatory tariffs on American goods after U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed he is moving ahead with devastating duties on Canada starting Tuesday. 

Trump signed an executive order on Saturday to slap Canada with 25 per cent tariffs — with a lower 10 per cent duty for energy — laying the foundation for an unprecedented trade war with America's closest neighbours.

U.S. President Donald Trump will hit Canada with 25 per cent tariffs on Tuesday, with a lower 10 per cent duty for energy, provincial government sources say.

The federal government has been working to reassure Canadians that it is has a robust plan to respond with retaliatory measures. 

Here's the latest (all times Eastern -- check back for the latest developments):

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10:25 p.m.

U.S. President Donald Trump will hit Canada with 25 per cent tariffs on Tuesday, with a lower 10 per cent duty for energy, government sources said — laying the foundation for a trade war with America's closest neighbours.

The federal government informed provinces Saturday that tariffs are coming, said the provincial sources, who cannot be named in order to share details that governments have not yet made public. It is not yet clear which energy exports would be included in the lower tariff category.

Canadian officials are anxiously waiting to see if U.S. President Donald Trump follows through on his threat to slap Canada with devastating tariffs Saturday.

Trump said Friday he is considering lowering tariffs on Canadian oil to 10 per cent after the White House confirmed he is going forward with 25 per cent levies on imports from Canada and Mexico.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said Friday night in Washington, D.C., that it was still not clear what would happen after Trump's latest comments.

Here's a look at some of this week's top news photos as selected by The Canadian Press editors.

President Donald Trump will implement 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports on Saturday as promised, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Friday.

"I was just with the president in the Oval Office and I can confirm that tomorrow, the Feb. 1 deadline that President Trump put in to place in a statement several weeks ago, continues," Leavitt said. 

Leavitt denied a news report that said the devastating duties might be delayed until March.

A trio of federal cabinet ministers is in Washington today making a last-ditch attempt to stop U.S. President Donald Trump from imposing economically devastating tariffs on Canadian imports.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, Public Safety Minister David McGuinty and Immigration Minister Marc Miller are all in the U.S. capital, making a final diplomatic push to convince Republican lawmakers and Trump's team to sway the president.

Trump has signalled he's prepared to slap 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports as early as Saturday.

Nova Scotia Liberal MP Jaime Battiste says he is dropping out of the Liberal party leadership race and backing former central banker Mark Carney.

The MP for Sydney—Victoria made the announcement in a statement sent out late Thursday by his campaign.

Battiste was the only Indigenous candidate in the running and sought to put First Nations issues on the agenda during the contest.

He says the best way for him to advance the issues he cares about — reconciliation, the environment and affordability — is by supporting Carney’s leadership bid.

The deadly mid-air crash in Washington, D.C., Wednesday night is likely the result of unique air traffic patterns in the area and shouldn't cause wider fears over air safety, says an aviation expert.

John Gradek, who teaches aviation management at McGill University, said the Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport has seen rising activity over the years while military aircraft also frequently fly in the area to make it a higher-risk airspace.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says he still plans to force a spring election when Parliament returns at end of March.

He says that before that vote to topple the Liberal government happens, he could work with the governing party for about two months to rush through Parliament relief measures for workers who could be affected by a looming tariff war with the U.S.