A resolution that challenges United States President Donald Trump’s national security justification for tariffs against Canada, passed in the U.S. Senate on Wednesday evening with bipartisan support.

“The act that the president has used to declare an emergency to impose tariffs is an act that was designed to be used against adversaries,” said Democratic U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, during remarks on the floor of the U.S. Senate chamber on Wednesday. “I stand here strongly in the belief that Canada is not an adversary, they’re an ally.”

On Feb. 1, Trump justified 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods and 10 per cent tariffs on Canadian energy, based on the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA), which authorizes the president to regulate imports during a national emergency under the National Emergencies Act. The White House’s rationale was that the flow of fentanyl crossing the Canadian border met that threshold.

During the 2024 fiscal year, U.S. Customs and Border Protection seized 43 pounds of fentanyl in the Northern border area compared to 21,900 pounds at all U.S. border areas.

Kaine, who is from Virginia, said on Tuesday the resolution aims to “turn off” the Canadian border emergency declared by Trump which he calls “made-up.” The resolution is co-sponsored by U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar from Minnesota and U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky.

The final vote tally for the resolution came in at 51 yeas and 48 nays, with secured votes from all Democratic senators and three additional Republican senators, including U.S. Sen. Susan Collins from Maine, U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell from Kentucky and U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski from Alaska.

Collins has previously expressed her concern over tariffs, pointing to the level of integration between Maine and Canada’s economies.

“The tariffs on Canada would be detrimental to many Maine families and our local economies,” said Collins, during remarks on the floor of the U.S. Senate chamber on Wednesday.

Other Republican lawmakers have publicly voiced concerns about tariffs and the impact they have on their constituents, including U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley from Iowa and U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran from Kansas.

The resolution will now be sent to the U.S. congress, which holds a Republican majority. Trump also has the power to veto, but Kaine said on Tuesday a bipartisan vote might convince the White House to rethink its tariff strategy.

On Wednesday, Trump said he would never approve the resolution.

“The Senate bill is just a ploy of the Dems to show and expose the weakness of certain Republicans, namely these four, in that it is not going anywhere because the House will never approve it and I, as your President, will never sign it,” he said, in a post on social media.

The resolution passed the same day Trump imposed sweeping country-by-country reciprocal tariffs to roll back what he views as “unfair trade practices.” Although Canada was spared from any additional reciprocal tariffs.

• Email: jgowling@postmedia.com

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