DOJ Antitrust Division Told to Pause Cooperation with Canada Amid Trade Dispute
The U.S. Justice Department’s antitrust unit was instructed to suspend collaborative work with Canadian authorities, a move linked to escalating trade tensions between the two countries.
The Justice Department’s antitrust division received an internal directive earlier this week to suspend all cooperation with Canadian officials, according to emails obtained by a major newspaper. Lynda Marshall, head of the division’s international section, ordered staff on Wednesday to halt joint case work and policy engagement with Canada, without providing a specific rationale. A follow-up email on Friday asked section chiefs to submit lists of cooperation areas with Canada by the end of the day.
The department later denied that such a directive had been issued, stating that the “alleged direction was never given to anyone.” It said the division was merely asked to temporarily postpone a scheduled meeting on a particular investigation until the antitrust team had additional preparation time.
The move occurs as the United States and Canada intensify a trade dispute that began after the U.S. administration imposed new tariffs on Canadian imports. Canada announced it would respond with matching tariffs on September 8, targeting roughly $20 billion in U.S. goods. Prime Minister Mark Carney said the retaliatory measures are intended to protect Canadian workers, farmers, families and businesses.
“Canada will match Washington’s new tariffs dollar for dollar in order to protect Canadian workers, farmers, families, and businesses,” Carney said.
The trade conflict has already resulted in tariffs on tens of billions of dollars in cross-border trade, and officials on both sides have warned that further escalations could affect broader economic ties.