While Anand and Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne were making the rounds in Mexico, a top White House official accused Ottawa of cozying up to China. Canada and China are the only two among roughly 90 countries to impose retaliatory tariffs on the U.S.

Politicians in conservative states most affected by U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods — and Ottawa’s targeted retaliatory tariffs against key sectors in Republican strongholds — are increasingly concerned over the economic fallout from Donald Trump’s trade agenda,

Brazil was not the only country targeted for political reasons. India faces a comparable rate for buying Russian oil. Mr Trump warned Mark Carney, Canada’s prime minister, that recognising a Palestinian state would make trade negotiations “very hard”.