Gov. Janet Mills welcomed news Thursday afternoon that President Donald Trump has suspended tariffs on many goods imported from Canada.

But Mills says the economic uncertainty caused by Trump’s on-again, off-again trade policy is already harming Maine residents and businesses. And it remained unclear Thursday evening whether certain Canadian exports that are important to Maine’s economy, such as gas and heating oil, are exempt under the new plan.

Trump reversed course less than 48 hours after his administration imposed 25% tariffs on goods from Canada and Mexico. The president announced that goods covered under an existing trade pact, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement or USMCA, will not be subject to tariffs at least until April 2.

“The president’s broad tariffs on our major trading partners will increase prices for Maine people and businesses and cause havoc to our economy,” Mills said in a statement on Thursday. “While today’s temporary tariff reprieves are welcome, they are creating significant economic uncertainty that is also damaging to our people, businesses, and our economy. I urge the president to stop his pursuit of these unnecessary tariffs and focus on fulfilling his campaign commitment to lower the prices of eggs, bread, heat, housing, and cars.”

The short-lived tariffs on Mexican and Canadian imports rattled the financial markets and caused alarms on both sides of the border, including in Maine.

Mills and most members of Maine’s congressional delegation had strongly opposed the tariffs on Canada because the state’s economy is interwoven with its provincial neighbors. They predicted that tariffs on Canadian goods — combined with reciprocal tariffs from Canada on U.S.-made products — will only harm Maine consumers, households and businesses that operate on both sides of the border, such as those in the forest products and commercial fishing industries.

There were also growing concerns about the impact on tourism. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau drove that message home earlier this week when he predicted that some citizens of his country will opt not to visit Canadian vacation hotspots like Old Orchard Beach this year.

Canada is Maine’s largest trading partner, by far, accounting for more than $6 billion in cross-border trade last year. Maine imported more than $4.7 billion in Canadian goods last year and exported nearly $1.3 billion in products to Canada.

Maine is particularly reliant on Canada for gasoline and heating oil, which would have been subject to a 10% tariff under Trump’s original plan. More than 80% of the refined petroleum products consumed in Maine come from Canada.

But it was unclear immediately following Trump’s announcement whether Canadian petroleum products would still be subject to additional import levies despite the suspension on other tariffs.

The Associated Press reported that roughly 62% of imports from Canada would still face tariffs because they are not covered by the USMCA, according to a White House official who briefed reporters. The New York Times, meanwhile, reported that the White House official said Canadian oil was not typically covered by the earlier trade agreement and would, therefore, still be subject to a 10% tariff. Canadian power plants also sell electricity to parts of Maine and to the New England power grid.

One person died and four others were injured in a house fire overnight in Portland, Maine.

Firefighters responded to the home at 11 Olympia St. shortly after 1 a.m. Thursday, according to officials. Five adults lived at the home, and all of them were inside when the blaze broke out.

One person was killed, and the other four were taken to Maine Medical Center, News Center Maine reported. One of them was in serious condition, fire officials said, and no update on the other three was immediately available.

The fire does not appear suspicious, Portland Fire Chief Chad Johnson said, but he said the cause is not yet known.

Veranda Street in the area of the fire was closed to traffic for several hours overnight, reopening around 5 a.m. Olympia Street remained closed as of Thursday morning.

No further details were immediately available.

AUGUSTA, Maine – At the state house on Tuesday, lawmakers gathered in the judiciary committee for a pubic hearing on LD 260, “Proposing an Amendment to the Constitution of Maine to Establish That All Maine Residents Have Equal Rights Under the Law.”

Equal Rights for all is already engrained in Maine state law, but this new bill would add those protections to our Maine state constitution.

This resolution proposes to amend the Constitution of Maine to prohibit the denial or abridgment by the State or any political subdivision of the State of equal rights based on the actual or perceived race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, physical or mental disability, ancestry or national origin of an individual.

Those opposed to the bill say it could give certain groups of people unfair privileges, while sponsors of the bill say their goal is to protect the rights of all Mainers.

This equal rights bill was submitted back in January.

In February, Governor Janet Mills and President Donald Trump got into a spat over policy on trans athletes.

Bill sponsor and Democratic State Representative, Holly Sargent says she does not believe this bill would exacerbate the threat to withhold federal funding made by the President, adding, “This is about fundamental human rights for all humans and everyone is included under that umbrella.”

Republican State Representative, Jennifer Poirier, says the bill could exacerbate the situation, adding, “This bill would affirm what Governor Mills has been actively fighting against our President on and I think it puts us in a dangerous position.”

Democratic bill sponsors are hoping for bipartisan support on LD 260, but at this point no republicans are backing the bill.

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