He may not have anything on his official itinerary, but it’s a safe bet that Prime Minister Mark Carney and his team will be devoting most, if not all, of their time, energy and political focus to the latest tariff threats to emerge from south of the border, courtesy of yesterday’s late-afternoon reveal that U.S. President Donald Trump has signed off on a fresh executive order that would impose a 50 per cent levy on a wide variety of Canadian products — including, but not limited to “hockey sticks, wine and cement,” as Canadian Press reports.

“(U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer) said the measure is a response to provincial bans on U.S. liquor, Canada’s supply managed dairy system and quotas on certain U.S. vehicles,” and is set to come into force in 30 days, CP notes.

“A senior White House official, who spoke to reporters on background on condition they not be named, said that, unlike many of Trump’s other tariffs, the new duties will have no exemptions for goods compliant under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico-Agreement on trade, better known as CUSMA, (but) will not apply to energy, potash, fish, critical minerals or other goods already being slammed by Trump’s separate sector-specific tariffs on steel, aluminum, automobiles and cabinetry.”

In a statement issued on Monday evening, Carney described the move as “the latest in a series of unilateral U.S. trade actions that began with the U.S. imposing a series of tariffs in direct violation of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA),” while Canada, “as is its right, has merely matched those measures,” he noted.

“More broadly, in response to these measures and threats to Canadian sovereignty, provinces, territories, and Canadians from coast to coast to coast have stood together, taking the necessary actions to support our economy and defend our workers, farmers, businesses, and families.”

In closing, the prime minister reiterated that Canada “has made a series of detailed and comprehensive proposals to resolve this dispute and to modernise CUSMA,” and “stands ready to intensify those discussions in the coming weeks.”

Several premiers also took to social media to share their response to the news, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who vowed that he will “never stop fighting to protect Ontario,” adding: “If these tariffs proceed, Canada should respond tariff for tariff, dollar for dollar.”

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe called the threats “unjustified,” and “will drive up prices and kill jobs on both sides of the border,” but pointed out that the tariffs “do not take effect for 30 days and the US has backed away from their most severe tariff threats in the past.”

His Alberta counterpart, Danielle Smith, noted that tariffs are “an economically destructive policy and have been proven time and again to hurt the people of the countries that impose them,” and added that the premiers would be meeting with Carney later this week in Charlottetown.

“(I) will reaffirm my position that the path to a positive resolution with our U.S. partners lies in strong, consistent diplomacy and a commitment to working to address shared priorities,” she pledged.

“As our province and country work together to fight wildfires, President Trump responds with more threats and punishing tariffs,” Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston observed.

“At this point, we should not be surprised. Real friends do not threaten you when you are in trouble. They step up and help.”

B.C. Premier David Eby was even more succinct, telling reporters: “If you’re picking fights with Canadians, you don’t have a friend in the world.”

He also said he “has also asked staff to contact the U.S. Embassy to have his government’s statement marking the two countries’ friendship removed from the U.S. 250th birthday website,” CBC News reports.

For their part, Conservative MPs Shuvaloy Majumdar, Eric Duncan, Stephanie Kusie and Pierre Paul-Hus co-signed a joint response on what they described as the “latest unjustified U.S. tariffs.”

“(Trump) is wrong to target Canadian workers and must reverse these tariffs immediately,” the statement notes.

“And Mark Carney was wrong to surrender Canada’s leverage for over a year and a half, without actually working to secure the deal he promised. Conservatives will fight for our workers, our businesses, and for a strong, sovereign and united Canada, as we would have done over a year and a half ago.”

Rounding out the opposition roster, New Democrat Leader Avi Lewis called the threat “the latest economic grenade thrown over the border by an out of control President who has lost touch with reality,” and noted that Trump is “trying a new, obscure legal basis for this latest attack.”

His advice to the prime minister: “If these tariffs go ahead, we must be prepared to fight them with counter-tariffs and put every dollar behind supporting workers in affected sectors. The Carney government must refrain from more concessions. We are tired of being treated as Trump’s tariff guinea pigs.”

Meanwhile, after joining a full contingent of his cabinet colleagues — Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon, and Secretary of State (Defence Procurement) Stephen Fuhr — for the official opening of the Canada Pavilion at the Farnborough International Airshow yesterday morning, Defence Minister David McGuinty is booked in for a midday appearance at the Wellington Barracks in London, where, alongside unnamed “international partners,” he’s expected to confirm that Canada will “enter into a multinational, next-generation fighter jet program … though not as a full member,” Canadian Press reports. (2 p.m. BST)

“International news media have reported for months that Ottawa is poised to sign onto a program to make a sixth-generation fighter with the U.K., Japan and Italy,” the wire service notes. “Ottawa has been eyeing observer status, which means getting access to inside information on the Global Combat Air Program before deciding on anything.”

Back at the airshow, Joly will outline how her government will be “engaging with Pratt & Whitney to strengthen Canada’s aerospace sector.” (2:10 p.m. BST)

Also out and about today: Immigration, Citizenship and Refugees Minister Lena Diab teams up with Nova Scotia Addictions and Mental Health Minister Brian Comer and Liberal MP Maggie Chi, who serves as parliamentary secretary to Health Minister Marjorie Michel, to highlight a new push to boost “mental health care support” for youth throughout the province during a morning visit to the IWK Health Centre in Halifax. (11 a.m. ADT)

Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement Minister Joël Lightbound heads to Iqaluit to share the details of a new “housing development” contract that, as per the notice, was awarded under his government’s ‘Buy Canadian’ policy. (9:30 a.m.) 

IN THE CHAMBER

Both the House of Commons and the Senate have shut down for the summer, with regular parliamentary proceedings set to resume in September.

HOT OFF THE WIRES

Committee highlights courtesy of our friends at iPoliticsINTEL.