The near constant tariff whiplash over the past few months has many Canadians wondering if U.S. President Donald Trump will eventually back down on this latest threat. Some Ottawa residents and local business owners are starting to tune out the chaos altogether. On Thursday, Trump posted a letter to Prime Minister Mark Carney on his Truth Social account, in which he promised to apply a 35 per cent tariff on Canadian imports starting Aug. 1. But some are skeptical these tariffs will actually come into effect after so many changes coming out of the White House over the past few months. At Blackrapids Farm in Ottawa, business remains strong. “I do know that the Canadian consumers want Canadian dairy products, and they want a lot of Canadian products,” said owner Peter Ruiter. Ruiter says he’s not phased by Trump’s latest threat. “I’ve almost learned to ignore him,” he said. “We have to pay attention to it…but to worry about every word he says, let’s see what he actually does and what he wants. “We really haven’t been affected because we supply the Canadian market and Canadian consumers,” he said. The Buy Canadian movement also having an impact at Blackrapids Farm. “I’m actually more and more in tune with the supplies I buy,” he said, adding he is favouring Canadian suppliers. “I think, as an industry and as a whole country, we have to just remember to keep going. We have to be proud of what we have and make ourselves the great country we are.” Meanwhile, as the trader war drags on, the Prime Minister’s Office announced there will be a cabinet meeting on Tuesday to discuss ongoing Canada-U.S. trade negotiations.
