50 per cent: The tariff rate House Democrats vow to end

Fifty per cent. That is the tariff rate currently applied to goods from Canada, a level that Maryland Rep. Jamie Raskin called a tax on democratic allies. On Wednesday, the ranking Democrat on the House judiciary committee told CBC News that his party intends to use its new control of Congress to roll back these duties once it takes power in the new year.

Raskin secured a sixth term in Tuesday night’s midterm elections, a night that saw Democrats win decisive victories in both the House of Representatives and the Senate. His remarks came hours after the results were finalized, addressing the immediate question of whether steep trade barriers would soon be lifted. "We want to have free and fair trade with Canada like the rest of the world," Raskin said. "So that's going to be very much on our agenda."

The congressman argued that the Constitution grants Congress the authority over taxes, tariffs, and commerce. He stated that the new majority would make clear that the 50 per cent rates were not imposed by the legislature. "That's one of the reasons we won Congress back, because we're going to put an end to these tariffs," he said. Raskin hopes to see movement on trade within the first 100 days of the new session.

In Ottawa, Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said the federal government’s strategy is not changing in the short term. He declined to interpret the American election results, noting that it is "not particularly constructive for Canadians to interpret results in a foreign country's election." He stressed that negotiations continue with President Donald Trump and his cabinet, who "remain in office today."

Prime Minister Mark Carney noted on Tuesday that the White House has softened its position on several Canadian "red lines," including language requirements. "They're asking less and they're offering more," Carney said. He and Trump are scheduled to meet in China later this month. Autos remain a likely sticking point, as they were when talks collapsed in August.

The path to repeal is not automatic. The new lawmakers will not be sworn in until January, and Trump retains his veto power. After the results, he posted an image of a red hat bearing the word "VETO" and told Politico, "I don't want to be just sitting there for two years vetoing everything." LeBlanc described the future actions of the new Congress as an "interesting discussion" that will not change Ottawa’s work in the coming weeks.

Political leaders in Canada reacted with mixed sentiments. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre urged Carney to capitalize on the moment to secure a tariff-free deal, stating that "Americans hate these tariffs." NDP Leader Avi Lewis noted that some Democrats have supported or stayed silent on tariffs, suggesting it is a good time to build relationships. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he "was doing cartwheels down the street" as results came in, adding, "The war is not over."