A United States senator said U.S. President Donald Trump will lift some tariffs on Canadian exports as the trade war with Canada becomes a ballot box issue in key races ahead of November's midterm election.
Maine Sen. Susan Collins, a Republican, said nine categories of Canadian exports will be exempted from tariffs, including corrugated paper, plastic boxes and several types of machinery important to her state's agricultural industries.
"Many of our farmers and growers rely on specialized equipment, packaging materials, and other products from Canada that are either unavailable from American suppliers or cannot be replaced without incurring significant expense," Collins said in a statement Friday.
Collins said the tariff exemptions are for products crucial to Maine's agricultural industries, including blueberry, potato, apple and seaweed producers.
The White House and the United States Trade Representative's office have not yet responded to a request for comment.
Trump's trade war with Canada has become a political flashpoint in Collins' state just ahead of November's midterm elections.
Trump slammed an array of Canadian products with 50 per cent tariffs in August after trade talks with Ottawa broke down. The president also signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America.
Ottawa responded with retaliatory tariffs on specific American imports.
Trump again escalated trade tensions the following month by banning imports of certain Canadian goods, including motorcycles and some dairy products.
Collins has repeatedly pushed back on Trump's tariffs on Canada. Maine shares a border with Quebec and New Brunswick and relies heavily on trade with Canada.
Collins has long been a political force in her border state but Trump’s unpopular policies — including his tariff campaign against Canada — have put her seat in jeopardy. Her Democratic challenger, Troy Jackson, has made the trade war with Canada a key issue in the tight race.
Collins said she has had repeated conversations with United States Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and other Trump administration officials to ask for tariff relief.
"I will continue working directly with administration officials to seek additional relief and encourage a broader trade agreement with Canada, our neighbour, ally, and largest trading partner," she said.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 23, 2026.
