Ottawa held its fire for a second day in a row Thursday after U.S. President Donald Trump doubled his steel and aluminum tariffs to 50 per cent — despite numerous calls for Canada to swiftly retaliate with new tariffs of its own.

Prime Minister Mark Carney is said to be engaging in behind-the-scenes trade discussions with Trump.

Industry Minister Mélanie Joly emerged from meetings with major CEOs from the steel sector and organized labour on Thursday without announcing any concrete retaliatory action, even as the industry called on her government to hit back.

The sector has warned the tariffs could have catastrophic consequences and, just a day earlier, called on Ottawa to match Trump's expanded tariffs on steel and aluminum.

Joly said the new U.S. tariffs are "completely unacceptable"

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