Canada’s political leaders are celebrating Donald Trump’s return to the US presidency, but the victory raises tough questions about what Canada-US relations will look like over the next four years.
During President Trump’s first term, his administration held discussions with Canada over trade issues, including the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and tariffs on certain Canadian aluminum products.
Immigration issues also became a source of tension between the two countries when President Trump announced a travel ban affecting several Muslim-majority countries. The move prompted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to tout Canada’s immigration system.
These issues are expected to resurface after President Trump takes office in January. During his campaign, President Trump promised to impose tariffs of at least 10% worldwide and implement mass deportations.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cabinet members said Wednesday that Canada is ready for Trump’s second term as president.
Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, International Trade Minister Mary Ng and Defense Minister Bill Blair will discuss how they plan to work with the new Trump administration on trade, foreign affairs and defence.
“We will get through this and we are ready,” Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly said.
Here’s a look back at some of the most difficult moments in bilateral relations during Trump’s first presidency, and a glimpse of what’s to come in his second term.
NAFTA renegotiation
Shortly after taking office in 2017, Trump and his team called for renegotiation It also agreed to a NAFTA trade agreement with Canada and Mexico, threatening to give six months’ notice to end the agreement if the two countries did not comply.
This began 14 months of intense and often difficult negotiations between Canada and the United States. An agreement was finally reached in September 2018 and came into force in 2020. The new agreement also has a new name: the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA).
of The heart of the deal This was a trade-off between greater U.S. access to Canada’s dairy market, which is tightly protected by a supply management system, and Canada’s desire to maintain a dispute resolution process.
The new North American Trade Agreement went into effect on Wednesday. CUSMA, also known as the “new NAFTA,” brings changes to the duties and taxes paid on goods shipped from the United States.
Aaron Oettinger, an associate professor at Carleton University who specializes in U.S. foreign policy, said the negotiation process was “grim and difficult” but “ultimately things worked out for Canada.”
“But all of Canada’s economic prosperity was at stake there,” Oettinger said.
The USMCA is scheduled to be reviewed and updated in 2026. President Trump has vowed to reopen the deal, as has his election opponent, Kamala Harris.
President Trump’s travel ban and entry ban
In early 2017, President Trump also signed the Executive Order on Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorists Entry into the United States, which prohibits people from several Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States.
The order sparked global outrage and was described as effectively banning Muslims from entering the United States. canadian official confused to understand The order affects everything from asylum applications to biometric tracking.
After signing the order, Prime Minister Trudeau posted on social media “Regardless of your faith, Canadians will welcome you.” He also said he would continue promotion Canada’s open immigration policy in the face of President Trump’s orders.
Canadians welcome people fleeing persecution, terrorism and war, regardless of their faith. Diversity is our strength #Welcome to Canada
Number of asylum seekers rejected by Canadian authorities at official border points since Trump was first elected sharply increased.
According to data provided to CBC News by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada, 1,949 asylum seekers were returned in 2017, President Trump’s first year in office.
In 2016, 731 people were refused entry. In 2015, 418 people were refused entry, and in 2014, only 456 people were refused entry.
Mr Trump is promised to track down all illegal immigrants His pledge to remain in the U.S. and carry out mass deportations during his second term has some experts questioning whether there will be a knock-on effect on Canada.
Jason Kenney, former immigration minister under former Conservative prime minister Stephen Harper, said: CBC News Last week, he argued that Canada needs to take the prospect “very seriously” and warned that “we don’t have the ability to police” a sudden wave of new entrants.
Quebec summit ended in failure
Shortly after the G7 summit in Charlevoix, Kenya, President Trump suddenly tweeted a personal attack on Prime Minister Trudeau, calling him “very dishonest” and “weak.”
It seems like he was reacting Prime Minister Trudeau’s statement This happened when reporters pressed him to respond to President Trump’s harsh comments on trade during the closing press conference. At the time, Canada and the United States were negotiating NAFTA and were at odds over adding a sunset clause to the new agreement.
Prime Minister Trudeau dismissed the idea of a sunset clause, saying “that’s not on the table.” The prime minister also said the government is moving forward with plans to impose tariffs on more than $16.5 billion of U.S. goods.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had a very soft and gentle demeanor during our meeting. @G7 I said, “The U.S. tariffs were a kind of insult,” and he said, “I’m not going to be forced into it,” and left, and then he just held a press conference. Very dishonest and weak. Our tariffs meet his demand for 270% on dairy products.
In another tweet, Trump wrote that he had instructed U.S. representatives to withdraw support for the summit’s closing communiqué and consider imposing tariffs on “autos flooding the U.S. market.”
Prime Minister Trudeau did not respond to reporters’ questions about his reaction to Trump’s tweet or his thoughts on how Trump’s actions could affect the future of the G7.
Oettinger said the relationship between Prime Minister Trudeau and President Trump “started out promising, but eventually turned completely toxic.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke to reporters after the conclusion of the G7 summit in Charlevoix, Que.
“If Prime Minister Trudeau was still in power… [when Trump takes office]It will be the worst start to a new presidential term in terms of a prime minister’s term. [and] “It’s the relationship with the president,” he added.
Oettinger also said that if Trudeau could “say all the good things about Donald Trump that Trump wants to say, the relationship would be repaired.”
“But whether Justin Trudeau has the stomach to do something like that is a completely different story,” Oettinger said.
retaliatory tariffs
In 2020, Canada will dollar to dollar tariff Tariffs on U.S. metal products also come after President Trump reimposed 10% tariffs on some Canadian aluminum products, ending a period of calm on the U.S.-Canada trade front.
At the time, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland called the Trump administration the most protectionist in U.S. history. He also called the rationale for the new tariffs “ridiculous” and “ridiculous.”
Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Quebec Premier Francois Legault expressed disappointment that President Trump reimposed tariffs. regalt Thank you Prime Minister Trudeau To impose countervailing duties.
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland announces Canada will impose dollar-for-dollar tariffs on U.S. metal products, after U.S. President Donald Trump yesterday announced new tariffs on some Canadian aluminum products. did.
President Trump is lowest price Reduces 10% of all imports entering the United States during his second term. source of information said CBC News reported that President Trump’s allies have not offered any guarantees of reprieve to Canada.
Gerald Butts, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s former chief of staff, developed close relationships with some of Trump’s advisers during his first term. he told CBC. the house “I don’t know if there’s a way to get Donald Trump out of this situation,” he said.
Butts also said President Trump is not afraid to use his access to the U.S. market to get what he wants in negotiations.
Canada negotiations have already begun Talked with President Trump’s aides about avoiding new trade tariffs. The federal government has warned of retaliation against U.S. products if Canada imposes tariffs.
Oettinger said he expects President Trump to impose tariffs quickly, but doesn’t think Canada will get the exemption it wants.
