Canada has scrapped a tax on big US technology firms, just hours before it was due to come into force, to allow trade talks between the two countries to restart. On Friday, US President Donald Trump called off negotiations over a trade deal, describing the tax as a "blatant attack", and threatened higher tariffs on imports from Canada. In response, Canada has said it is removing the tax, which should have come into effect on Monday. The digital services tax (DST) would have meant US tech giants including Amazon, Meta, Google and Apple, facing a 3% charge on Canadian revenue above $20m. Canada's finance minister François-Philippe Champagne issued a statement saying the tax would be rescinded. "The DST was announced in 2020 to address the fact that many large technology companies operating in Canada may not otherwise pay tax on revenues generated from Canadians," it said. "Canada's preference has always been a multilateral agreement related to digital services taxation," the statement added. Many countries, including the UK, are changing how they tax large multinational technology firms, which have millions of customers and advertisers around the world, but high corporation tax bills due to the way their businesses are structured. It was estimated that Canada's tax would cost the tech giants more than $2bn a year in total. Trump, who has forged a close relationship with tech company owners in his second term in office, has pushed back against such taxes. He described Canada's policy as "egregious" adding "economically we have such power over Canada". Three quarters of Canada's goods exports go to the US, worth more than $400bn a year, while Canada takes just 17% of US production. Canada's climbdown comes after a rollercoaster few months for US-Canada relations. Shortly after taking office Trump threatened to impose sweeping new tariffs and even to annex the US's northern neighbour. The antagonism helped propel Canada's Liberal Party, led by former central banker, Mark Carney, back into power. Since then there appeared to be a rapprochement, with Canada and the US saying they aimed to agree new trade terms by 21 July.
Canada drops tech tax to restart US trade talks
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"Canada Abandons Tech Tax to Facilitate Renewal of U.S. Trade Talks"
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TruthLens AI Summary
In a significant move aimed at reviving trade discussions, Canada has decided to eliminate a proposed tax on large U.S. technology firms, just hours before its implementation was set to begin. This digital services tax (DST), which would have imposed a 3% levy on Canadian revenues exceeding $20 million for major tech companies like Amazon, Meta, Google, and Apple, was met with strong opposition from U.S. President Donald Trump. He characterized the tax as a 'blatant attack' and threatened to impose higher tariffs on imports from Canada in response. Canada's Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne confirmed the tax's removal, stating that it was originally designed to ensure that large technology companies contributing to the Canadian market would pay their fair share of taxes. He emphasized that Canada's preference has always been to pursue a multilateral agreement on digital services taxation rather than unilateral actions that could escalate trade tensions.
The decision to rescind the tax comes amid a complex backdrop of U.S.-Canada relations that have experienced significant fluctuations in recent months. Trump's administration has been known for its tough stance on trade, including previous threats of tariffs and even annexation discussions, which have strained bilateral ties. Despite these tensions, recent months suggested a thawing of relations, with both countries expressing a desire to negotiate new trade terms by July 21. The abandonment of the DST is seen as an attempt by Canada to foster a more cooperative atmosphere for trade negotiations, particularly given the substantial economic interdependence between the two nations, with Canada exporting over $400 billion worth of goods to the U.S. annually. This strategic decision underscores the delicate balance Canada seeks to maintain in addressing tax issues while also ensuring robust trade relations with its most significant partner.
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