There are hours left until U.S. President-elect Donald Trump returns to the Oval Office, but Canadian officials say they are still unsure whether he will follow through on his previous threat to level punitive tariffs on Canadian products. He said he didn’t know.
“We have done a lot of good advocacy and are now ready to respond to any decision. [Trump] Assuming it comes next, it will be,” Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc said in an interview. rosemary burton live It was broadcast on Sunday.
President Trump is threatening to impose a flat 25% tariff on Canadian goods, a move that experts and lawmakers are warning of. would have a devastating impact on the Canadian economy..
Canadian authorities are scrambling to get President Trump to resign. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met with Trump Late November. In Ontario threatened to cut energy export. Now, in Canada, prepared counter-tariffs This would apply to $37 billion worth of goods that have less negative impact on the Canadian economy.
Asked if he had any indication of President Trump’s tariff plans, LeBlanc said Canadian officials were in talks with Republican senators and members of the president-elect’s cabinet, but the situation remained uncertain. .
CBC Chief Political Correspondent Rosemary Barton speaks with Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc about how Canada is preparing for possible tariffs from the United States. Burton will also speak with Ontario Energy Minister Stephen Lecce about his visit to Washington for the presidential inauguration and Ontario’s response to President-elect Donald Trump’s tariff threats.
“Either they don’t know, won’t tell us, or [president-elect] Mr. Trump has not made a final decision yet,” LeBlanc told host Rosemary Burton.
LeBlanc said Canada’s original plan was to have a “very short” period of consultation on the first round of countermeasures, and then consider escalation, no matter what President Trump does, if necessary. Ta.
“Our objective is not to learn how to live with potential tariffs,” LeBlanc said. In his words, the goal is to “take temporary steps to get us out on the other side of this.” [U.S.] Tariff. ”
Wilbur Ross, who served as Secretary of Commerce in the Trump administration, said he does not believe the next president will automatically impose tariffs on Canada when he takes office on Monday.
Ross also said that “it’s good for Canada to be prepared to stay on track,” but that a “turf war” with the U.S. is so important to Canada’s economy that it wouldn’t be in Canada’s interests. I warned you.
internecine conflict in the federation
Canada’s efforts to avoid President Trump’s tariffs hit a snag on Wednesday following an hours-long meeting between the prime minister and all 13 countries’ prime ministers in Ottawa.
Alberta Premier Daniel Smith posted on social media saying it was possible. Not following Canada’s plan That’s because federal officials “continue to publicly and privately consider cutting off energy supplies to the United States and imposing U.S. export tariffs on Alberta’s energy and other products.”
“Alberta will not be able to fully support the federal government’s plan to address the threatened tariffs until these threats are removed,” she said.
As Danielle Smith prepares to attend President Donald Trump’s inauguration, her approach to dealing with the threat of 25% tariffs on goods from Canada remains consistent. She is trying to negotiate rather than retaliate. CBC’s Sam Samson has more.
Smith’s comments angered Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who said “country comes first” and Canada needs to come together.
Ontario Energy Minister Stephen Lecce said his province understands Smith’s concerns, but “ultimately, our strength will be in unity.”
“Prime Minister Ford advocated the following to maximize pressure on the United States. [president-elect] President Trump has the ability to divide and conquer within the Commonwealth, but we need to come together,” Lecce said in an interview. rosemary burton live.
LeBlanc said the federal government believes there is “fairly good agreement” within Canada on how to proceed with President Trump’s tariffs, and that Ottawa is “sensitive” to Alberta’s concerns. Ta.
Asked why Canada is unable to reverse Trump’s threats, Lecce said the president-elect, who has previously criticized Canada’s border security, defense spending, and trade imbalance with the United States, has “shifted goals.” ‘ is happening.
Lecce said the United States could work with Ontario and Canada to “build an unstoppable energy union” or pursue trade with “the dictators of the world.”
Ontario’s energy minister also believes there is “sober thinking prevailing” and that the United States recognizes Canada’s economic value and that both countries “need each other to drive growth.” He said he recognized it.
