Canada's ambassador to the United States called for the removal of American tariffs on Canadian goods, arguing they create costly uncertainty that discourages business investment. Mark Wiseman made the remarks at the B20 summit in Washington on Wednesday, an event organized by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. He urged that duties levied under Sections 232 and 338 of U.S. trade law be lifted. "Uncertainty increases your cost of capital," Wiseman told attendees, according to CNBC. "If you're going to build a new plant, add a new ship, spend money on R&D, the more certainty you have, the more likely you're going to do that."
Wiseman, a former BlackRock executive who became ambassador in February, said settling the trade dispute would allow businesses to plan their investments over the long term. "The sooner, the better," he said, according to CNBC. He added that Canada wants to get back to "as close as we can to free trade." Washington and Ottawa have returned to the bargaining table after discussions broke down in August, with talks focused on lowering duties on steel and automobiles from Canada.
Former president Donald Trump has levied duties as high as 50 percent on some Canadian products. Canada has responded with countermeasures targeting U.S. exports worth billions of dollars. Trump has justified the tariffs as a way to shield American manufacturers and workers, and he has charged Canada with discriminatory trade practices. U.S. exports to Canada totaled $265.9 billion in the first nine months of 2026, while imports from Canada totaled $304.6 billion, according to Census Bureau data, leaving a goods trade deficit of $38.7 billion.
U.S. customs duties on imports from Canada surged to $10 billion in 2025, up from $400 million in 2024, according to the Congressional Research Service. On Tuesday, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the Trump administration remains Canada's primary counterpart in trade negotiations. Trump signed a proclamation on Oct. 23 changing the list of Canadian products covered by Section 338 tariffs, effective Oct. 30. The 50 percent duties apply whether or not a good originates under the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement and stack on top of Section 232 tariffs.
Researchers at the New York Fed concluded that nearly 90 percent of a tariff is reflected in higher import prices. About 26 percent of any given tariff increase reaches consumer goods prices, and they expect additional upward pressure in 2027. Other ambassadors at the B20 summit also raised concerns about trade policy. Germany's ambassador to the U.S., Jens Hanefeld, said firms can adjust to tariffs but face an "ever-changing regulatory environment" that compels them to devote more money to legal help.
France's ambassador, Aurélien Lechevallier, pressed for cooperation on artificial intelligence and energy instead of continued trade fights. "We've spent, I think, a lot of time the last years working and dealing with regulations, tariffs," he said. "Businesses are eager to do more business." A U.S. food importer, Gellert Global Group, has filed a lawsuit in the U.S. Court of International Trade arguing the Trump administration exceeded its authority under Section 338.
