Most Canadians say they expect to feel U.S. tariffs, want Canada to fight back: poll (2025)

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Trump has imposed tariffs on Canada and countries around the world, and has threatened to increase them if those countries insist on retaliating with tariffs of their own

Author of the article:

The Canadian Press

Alessia Passafiume

Published Apr 11, 2025

Last updated 1hour ago

3 minute read

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Most Canadians say they expect to feel U.S. tariffs, want Canada to fight back: poll (2)

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A new poll suggests 60 per cent of Canadians say they will personally feel the effects of U.S. tariffs — and most believe Canada should fight back.

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The poll, which was conducted by Leger for the Association of Canadian Studies, also says that most respondents report their level of trust in Americans has dropped to levels not seen since U.S. President Donald Trump’s first term in office.

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Trump has imposed tariffs on Canada and countries around the world, and has threatened to increase them if those countries insist on retaliating with tariffs of their own.

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Jack Jedwab, president and CEO of the Association for Canadian Studies, said Canadians “feel there’s a serious rift in our relations with the United States.”

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The poll surveyed 1,631 people from April 5 to 6. Leger said it can’t assign a margin of error to the poll because it was a panel survey.

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Leger says 60 per cent of Canadians reported they will personally feel the effects of U.S. tariffs, 18 per cent said they won’t and 22 per cent said they don’t know.

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Sixty-three per cent of Canadians 65 years and older reported they will feel the effects, compared to 57 per cent of Canadians aged 18 to 24.

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Jedwab said that’s because Canadians 65 and older are likely collecting pensions that could suffer from market swings, while younger Canadians are just entering the job market.

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Most Canadians say they expect to feel U.S. tariffs, want Canada to fight back: poll (7)

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At 64 per cent and 66 per cent respectively, people in Ontario and Alberta are the most likely to report they will feel the effects of tariffs.

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Forty-nine per cent of Quebecers told Leger they will feel the effects.

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Jedwab said he’s not sure why Quebecers aren’t reporting the same level of tariff anxiety as the rest of the country and called them “outliers on the issue.”

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Most Canadians told Leger they think Canada should fight back against Trump’s tariff agenda — though they’re not on the same page when it comes to how.

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At 17 per cent support, the idea of dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs was the most popular option polled, followed by “targeted sanctions on energy, raw materials, etc., reducing trade with the United States” (nine per cent support) and expanding trade with other countries (eight per cent support).

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Despite Alberta Premier Danielle Smith’s repeated rejection of trade measures targeting energy exports, Leger recorded nine per cent support for “targeted sanctions” in the province — the same as the national level.

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The poll suggests only five per cent of respondents believe Canada should not retaliate or ignore the tariffs or are indifferent to the issue. Leger also reports that respondents’ preferred responses to the tariffs were largely consistent across income levels.