A New 50% Tariff On Canadian Imports Set to Begin In 30 Days

©iStock/Marc Bruxelle

Is this tariff really about the wildfire smoke drifting down from Canada? Your guess is as good as mine. We'll have to wait and see – punishment seems to be the modus operandi of the current US administration.

Trump cited Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, a law that allows a president to tariff goods up to 50% without congressional approval when a country is believed to be discriminating against American goods.

Here's the key:  The law has never been applied this way.

The new import levies are a response to alleged discrimination against American motor vehicles, alcohol and dairy, an official said.