(Bloomberg) -- Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is instructing his top economic ministers to take tough positions on trade issues amid growing disputes with the U.S., potentially signaling a more protectionist approach from Canada. Most Read from BloombergThe marching orders were contained in mandate letters to cabinet ministers released Thursday afternoon, nearly three months after Trudeau was re-elected to a third term in September. Increased U.S. duties on softwood lumber and a halt to shipments of potatoes from Atlantic Canada are also causing friction. Trevor Kennedy, trade policy lead at the Business Council of Canada, said it’s clear who Trudeau is targeting with the reciprocal trade policy language. Legislation setting the stage for that drew a rebuke from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on Wednesday.

Source: CBC News December 16, 2021 23:26 UTC