Gerald Butts, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s former chief of staff, said Donald Trump’s proposed 10% tariffs on imports would put Canada at a higher rate than “any other country,” given the close trade ties between the two countries. “It will hit faster and harder.”
The former US president and current Republican candidate has called for a minimum 10 percent tariff on all imported goods entering the United States. Officials told CBC News that Trump’s allies have not offered Canada any guarantees of reprieve.
In an interview with CBC the house, “I don’t know if there’s a way to talk Donald Trump out of this,” Butts told host Katherine Cullen.
“The important question, then, is not how to prepare for that, but how to prepare for the inevitable impact on the global economy that will result from President Trump’s inauguration,” he said.
As a close aide to Prime Minister Trudeau, Butts participated in multiple meetings with Trump during his term as president.
He said Trump wants to tell people that his actions are “on camera,” but “that’s not the case. The person you see in front of the camera is the same person you see behind closed doors.” Ta.
Butts said President Trump is not afraid to use his access to the U.S. market to get what he wants in negotiations. “He believes that the winner of every negotiation is the person who happens to have the most influence,” he added.
Canada has already begun talks with Trump aides about avoiding new trade tariffs if he is elected. The federal government has warned of retaliation against U.S. products if Canada imposes tariffs.
Butts said it was important for Trump to have “honest, professional relationships with those around him” because he is a “relationship person.”
Butts said he spent time with Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and adviser, and Trump’s former trade magnate Robert Lighthizer, who cited past U.S. tariffs as a success story. .
“You never know who will be in that role next time, but building a personal relationship is very important. [Trump] “It’s been the way it’s been since I was in the private sector,” Butts said.
Canadian officials contacted both Harris and Trump’s campaigns and asked for a congratulatory phone call with the winner, a senior government official said.
Harris’ victory could also bring challenges
Butts warned that even if Democratic candidate Kamala Harris wins the election, Canada cannot “simply assume that everything will be rosy.”
“if [Harris] “She will win because Wisconsin, Michigan and Pennsylvania voted for her,” Butts said, referring to three key battleground states where Trump and Harris are focusing their campaigns. did.
“If you look at the Congress that represents these areas; [they] They tend to be relatively protectionist. ”
Butts said many Canadians grew up with a relatively accommodative U.S. foreign policy that supported free trade and an open border with Canada, but the political consensus supporting that policy is waning. “Nothing has replaced it yet,” he said.
Experts told CBC News that a Harris victory would likely mean the status quo would remain the same.
Canada and the United States have been engaged in a trade war under President Joe Biden over tariffs on Canadian softwood lumber, among other issues, but experts say Trump’s preference for tariffs poses a bigger threat in office. Pointed out.
Butts said certain issues are still “relatively up in the air,” including whether the Harris administration wants to renegotiate the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement, which is scheduled to be reviewed and updated in 2026. .
President Trump promises mass deportations
Trump also promised to pursue mass deportations of illegal immigrants if elected.
Experts told CBC News that enforcement in one jurisdiction could have the effect of pushing migrants into another jurisdiction. In this case, large-scale deportations in the United States could force immigrants into Canada.
Jason Kenney, who served as immigration minister under former Conservative Prime Minister Stephen Harper, said Canada needs to take the prospect “very seriously.”
“We are unable to cope with the current burden. [immigration] Mr Kenney told Mr Cullen: “Additional significant new pressures could completely jeopardize our ability to not only legally process additional claims but also to house people.”
In 2017, large numbers of Haitians crossed Wroxham Road near Hemingford, Kenya, drawing attention to a previously obscure border crossing.
In March 2023, Canada and the United States agreed to modify the Safe Third Country Agreement to cover their entire land border, not just their formal border.
Kenney acknowledged the changes, but said: “We don’t have the ability to police when large numbers of people are flocking to different border crossings illegally.”
“It’s something that should at least be on our radar screen,” he said. “History shows that a government committed to large-scale removal can be elected and that this is likely to happen.”
“Our government works with many administrations and will continue to work with the United States and partners across government on all issues related to our shared border,” Immigration Minister Mark Miller’s spokesperson said in a statement to CBC. ” he said.
