Experts decry 'pressure campaign' against Canada

US President Donald Trump is set to impose a 35 percent tariff on Canadian goods and a 50 percent levy on copper imports — moves that experts say raise fears of job losses and escalate trade tensions.

Mesbah Sharaf, a professor of economics at the University of Alberta in Canada, said the sudden tariff announcement is part of a broader pressure campaign, especially with trade negotiations still underway.

"It feels like pressure to me. I don't think the talks are done, but this move turns up the heat," Sharaf said. "It's like he's saying, 'Take the deal or get hit with the tariff.' It's a way to push Canada to move faster."