As trade negotiations between the United States and Canada broke down and the U.S. imposed a 50 percent tariff on 20 billion dollars worth of Canadian goods, Canada has announced massive retaliatory tariffs in response.

Following the U.S. tariff imposition, Canada's declaration of reciprocal retaliatory measures has sharply strained relations between the two traditional allies.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced on the 22nd local time that Canada could not accept the trade agreement terms proposed by the U.S. side and would impose retaliatory tariffs on U.S. steel, dairy products, home appliances, agricultural machinery, and pulp in response to Washington's high tariffs.

Prime Minister Carney stated, "We cannot accept the proposal put forward by the United States, nor will we give away what they have demanded."

He added that the Canadian government's retaliatory tariff measures are scheduled to officially take effect starting on the 8th of next month.

Detailed tariff rates for each item are planned to be announced additionally.

Earlier, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer stated the previous day that "Canada refused to finalize the trade agreement in accordance with the terms agreed upon earlier this week," placing the blame for the breakdown of negotiations on Canada.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Carney countered by saying, "The modified terms presented by the U.S. side at the last minute were unfair and uneconomic," and that "the United States demanded too much and offered too little."

The U.S. Trump administration had previously announced high tariffs of 50 percent on Canadian imports citing the protection of domestic industries, and immediately enacted the tariffs right after the negotiations collapsed.

With no further negotiation schedules set between the two countries, the AP reported that these tariff actions by both nations are casting uncertainty even over the future of the North American trade agreement encompassing the United States, Canada, and Mexico.