U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday raised hopes for another pause on steep new tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada by saying they would take effect on April 2, about a month later than a deadline next week.

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly responded in part to the U.S. president's claims by saying the U.S. is a "net exporter" of illegal fentanyl, guns and migrants to Canada.

“The tariffs are going forward on time, on schedule,” Trump said. Trump’s executive order to implement 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian imports, with a lower 10 per cent levy on energy, was delayed until March 4 after Canada agreed to introduce new security measures at the border.