As Canada braces for sweeping tariffs on Canadian goods threatened by incoming U.S. president-elect Donald Trump, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says that threat should be taken seriously.
Trump sent shockwaves earlier this week when he announced that he plans to sign an executive order imposing a 25 per cent tariff on all products coming into the United States from Canada and Mexico once he comes into office.
Trump has said the tariffs will remain in place until both countries stop drugs, in particular fentanyl, and people from illegally crossing the borders.
As uncertainty and concern looms over the potential impact this could have on Canadian industries, Trudeau warned Friday that there is “no question” that Trump plans on seeing this measure through.
“One of the things that is really important to understand is that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out,” Trudeau told reporters in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. “There’s no question about it.
“Our responsibility is to point out that, in this way, he would be actually not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, he’d actually be raising prices for American citizens as well and hurting American industry and businesses.”
Trudeau reiterated that a “Team Canada approach” is going to be vital in the face of Trump’s tariff threat.
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Two days after Trump’s announcement, Trudeau held a virtual meeting Wednesday with provincial and territorial premiers to discuss U.S.-Canada relations.
“We’re going to work together to meet some of the concerns and respond to some of the issues, but ultimately, it is to lots of constructive, real conversations with President Trump that I’m going to have that will keep us moving forward on the right track for all Canadians,” Trudeau said.
Trump’s announcement has drawn sharp criticism from political leaders across Canada and business groups are also growing concerned.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne told reporters in Ottawa Tuesday that Trump’s threat should not be taken lightly, but added that there’s still time to engage with the U.S. counterparts.
“We have to take that seriously, there’s no doubt.”
Champagne said the bottom line is that “we’ll stand up for Canada” and its workers.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Tuesday that Canada and the U.S. have “shared interests” in making the situation “manageable and controlled” at the border.
Miller said regardless of the plans down south, Canada is considering a “number of measures” to strengthen security at the border.
“We’re looking at a number of measures and that absolutely includes additional resources.”
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said this week that the country needs a plan “to put Canada first” and when asked by a reporter if he would be willing to retaliate against Trump’s pledged move, Poilievre responded: “If necessary.”
—with files from Canadian Press
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