The era of deep economic, security and military ties between Canada and the United States is over, Prime Minister Mark Carney said after President Donald Trump announced high tariffs on cars, AFP reported.

Trump's planned 25 percent levy on US auto imports will take effect next week and could be devastating to the Canadian auto industry, which supports about 500,000 jobs.

Following Trump's announcement, Carney suspended his campaign ahead of Canada's April 28 election to return to Ottawa for a meeting of cabinet members working on tactics in the trade war with the U.S.

He called Trump's auto tariffs "unjustified" and said they violated existing trade agreements between the countries.

He also warned Canadians that Trump has permanently altered relations with the United States and that regardless of future trade agreements, "there will be no going back."

"The old relationship we had with the United States, based on deepening integration of our economies and close security and military cooperation, is over," Carney said.

He added that Canada would retaliate against the auto tariffs.

"Our response to these latest tariffs is to fight, to defend, to build. We will fight the U.S. tariffs with our own trade retaliation that will have maximum impact in the U.S. and minimum impact here in Canada," said Carney, who replaced Justin Trudeau as prime minister on March 14.

Normally, Canada's new leader makes a phone call with the U.S. president a priority immediately after taking office, but Trump and Carney have not spoken.

On March 27, the latter said the White House had contacted him to schedule a call, and that he expected to speak with Trump in the "next day or two."

Carney also said that while he was willing to talk with Trump, he would not engage in substantive trade talks with Washington until the president showed Canada "respect," especially by ending his repeated threats of annexation.

"For me there are two conditions, not necessarily for a conversation, but for a negotiation with the United States. First Respect, respect for our sovereignty as a country...obviously that's a lot to it. There needs to be a comprehensive discussion between the two of us, including with respect to our economy and our security," Carney added. | BGNES