Will the U.S. make Canada pay for wildfire smoke through tariffs?

The return of the wildfire smoke is news no one wants to hear, especially our elected officials. President Trump and Republican members of Congress plan to make Canada pay for the hazardous air drifting into our state and other parts of the Midwest. President Trump made this Truth Social post Friday, accusing Canadian leaders of improper maintenance of their forests and brush, calling it ‘willful negligence’ and claiming its fires have cost the United States billions of dollars. Trump proposed further tariffs on Canada to pay for it, with some Michigan leaders pledging support through Congress. U.S. Rep. John James (R-10), a current candidate for Michigan governor, plans to introduce a bill putting 25% tariffs on Canada for cleanup and a victim compensation fund. But Canadian leaders like Ontario premier Doug Ford says the country needs assistance with the fires rather than criticism. "Maybe what you should do rather than complain is send support," he said. "Send help, because we have done the exact same thing for our American friends.” Matt Zierler, a professor of International Relations with Michigan State University, says diplomacy with Canada is already tense, and tariffs could hurt Michigan in particular. "What has typically been a non-issue, which is US-Canadian relations, is perhaps become its most fraught in 200 years," he said. Zierler pointed to Trump’s previous comments about annexation of Canada, as well as a recent disagreement over ownership of the new Gordie Howe bridge. He says these go beyond disagreements among friends, calling it a "needling" of Canada. The professor fears Michigan’s cross-border relationship with the country could suffer if leaders decide to look for economic deals elsewhere. "Canada's seriously looking to build better relations with China, which, you know, might be in the best interests of Canada, but not in the best interest of the United States," Zierler explained. When asked about Rep. James’s bill, Zierler believes legislation passed through Congress would be more legally sound than tariffs directly from the president. He doesn’t see widespread support for increased tariffs just before the midterm elections, with economics expected to be a top issue, and hopes Canada will continue to see us as their number-one trade partner even as the fires continue to burn. "Canada does need the US trade," he said. "But the US needs Canada as well." Michigan's Republican representatives including James and U.S. Rep. John Moolenaar (R-02) sent a letter to Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney this week, asking for specific steps on how Canada is stopping the wildfire risk. They say the U.S. is prepared to become involved directly. https://wwmt.com/news/michigan-politi... _______________ Stay up to date with our social media: WWMT on Facebook:   / wwmtnews   WWMT on Twitter:   / wwmtnews   Subscribe to WWMT on YouTube:    / @wwmtnews   WWMT Daily News Digest:    • WWMT-TV Daily Digest   For more information, visit https://www.wwmt.com/ Have a news tip? Send it directly to us: Email us: [email protected] Call the Newsroom: 800.875.3333 WWMT is a MI based station and a CBS Television affiliate owned and operated by Sinclair Broadcast Group. Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc. is one of the largest and most diversified television broadcasting companies in the country today. #WWMT #NEWSCHANNEL3 #Kalamazoo #Michigan