Former Prime Minister Jean Chretien says Americans are too dependent on many Canadian exports, particularly in the energy sector, and that incoming U.S. President Donald Trump is threatening punitive tariffs and a resulting trade war with Canada. said that it is likely to be withdrawn.
“I think he said this morning that he doesn’t need our electricity. That’s fine,” Chretien said in an exclusive interview on Sunday’s CTV Question Period. “If he wants us to shut off the electricity, he’s going to have to climb into Trump Tower with a candle lit and go to his office, because New York State relies heavily on electricity from Canada.”
“So, it’s not realistic,” Chretien also said of hosting Vassy Kapelos.
President Trump has threatened to impose a flat 25% tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico. President Trump initially suggested that the immediate problem was the flow of illegal drugs and immigrants across the border, but more recently the president-elect has decided to impose tariffs on his own merits, despite the impact on the U.S. economy. is defending.
In response, Ontario Premier Doug Ford previously threatened to cut off power to 1.5 million homes in New York, Michigan and Minnesota as a “last resort” if President Trump follows through on his threat. . But last week, Ford took a more collaborative stance, announcing a project dubbed “Fortress am Can” that would rely on Ontario’s existing nuclear infrastructure to build out and bring even more power south of the border. He pitched his energy plan.
Alberta Premier Daniel Smith, Quebec Premier Francois Legault and Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey said they opposed cutting off energy exports in retaliation.
Chretien, who served as Canada’s 20th prime minister from 1993 to 2003, said trade negotiations and other bilateral issues have always been, and will continue to be, between the country’s closest neighbors and allies. said.
“As you know, (Trump) loves to be on the news, and the news gives him a lot of space,” he said. “But the reality is, in my opinion, I don’t lose any sleep over it, because if this kind of war were to happen, they would probably suffer far more than we would.” Because it is.”
CTV News confirmed this week that Canadian authorities are narrowing down the list of U.S. products in case the federal government imposes retaliatory tariffs against President Trump.
Sources say they include steel products and ceramics (such as toilets and sinks) from the United States, and orange juice from Florida.
Chrétien told Kapelos that Canada is “in a better position” due to the nature of many of its exports to the United States.
“We can get orange juice and many products from other countries, but electricity doesn’t come by truck or pipeline,” he said. “And the type of oil that they buy from Alberta, if they don’t buy it from Alberta, they have to buy it from Venezuela because it’s a specialized type of oil that they’re primarily buying from us; Because you can’t replace it with anything else. “
Chretien says he doesn’t take 51st state’s comments ‘seriously’
Meanwhile, the incoming commander-in-chief has ramped up his rhetoric in recent weeks, doubling down on so-called jokes about annexing Canada to become the 51st U.S. state and threatening to use what he calls “economic power.” . To make that happen.
In an interview with CNN this week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused President Trump of using the issue to distract from conversations about tariffs and the potential impact on both economies.
Chretien isn’t worried.
“I don’t take it seriously because I don’t think that’s going to happen,” Chretien said. “It’s not in America’s interest to not have a good neighbor like Canada to the north.”
“And for Mr. Trump, he doesn’t understand that if Canada had been part of the United States a few weeks ago, he would never have become president, because Canadians voted for him. Because I wouldn’t have done it,” he added.
“Canadians love our values,” the former prime minister said, noting that we are a “tolerant and tolerant society.”
Asked how he thought Canadian officials were handling Trump’s threats, Chretien pointed to Trudeau and Ford’s appearances on several American television networks as an example. He said that so far it has been very successful.
In the interview, Chretien also touched on Trudeau’s decision to resign this week and considered potential candidates in the race to replace the embattled prime minister and Liberal leader.
Mr Chrétien also said the Liberal Party needed to return to the “radical centre” to help its electoral fortunes.
Catch an exclusive interview with former Prime Minister Jean Chretien on CTV’s Question Period this Sunday at 11pm/8pm.
With files from CTV News’ Stephanie Ha and Mike Le Couteur
