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Trudeau to Meet Premiers Amid Tariff Threat from Trump

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is scheduled to hold discussions with Canada’s premiers on Wednesday, focusing on the impending threat of tariffs from U.S. president-elect Donald Trump.

This in-person meeting in Ottawa comes just days ahead of Trump’s inauguration for a second non-consecutive term, set for January 20.

Trump has signaled his intention to implement a substantial 25 percent tariff on all goods imported from Canada if the country does not enhance its border security measures.

In an interview with MSNBC aired on Sunday, Trudeau declared that Canada stands prepared to respond with its own retaliatory tariffs should Trump proceed with his proposition.

NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has urged all provincial leaders to halt the export of critical minerals to the U.S. as a response, asserting that this could be a decisive strategy to persuade Trump to reconsider his tariff plans.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has previously encouraged Trudeau to convene with the premiers face-to-face. While Ford expressed that he is averse to imposing an embargo on energy and critical mineral exports to the U.S., he emphasized that Canada should not overlook any possible measures to exert economic pressure on the U.S. if the tariff conflict intensifies.

Ford remarked to reporters on Tuesday in Toronto that Ontario could bear the brunt of the tariffs more than any other province, estimating that the region may need to allocate tens of billions of dollars to safeguard its workforce.

Ongoing National Concerns

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith recently met Trump at his residence in Mar-a-Lago, Florida, where she underscored the significance of the U.S.-Canada energy partnership.

Smith opposes the notion of curtailing energy exports to the U.S. and has advised against such retaliatory actions from Ottawa.

“Oil and gas assets are primarily owned by the provinces, particularly Alberta, and we will not accept any threats to restrict these exports,” Smith stated during a virtual press briefing on Monday.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe has also voiced opposition to the idea of limiting Canadian energy and agricultural exports to the United States.

This is the second time Trudeau is convening a meeting with the premiers to address U.S.-Canada relations since Trump made his tariff announcements in late November 2024. The meeting comes at a critical juncture, coinciding with a leadership race within the Liberal Party to select a successor to Trudeau, who announced his intention to resign last week.

During a prior meeting on December 11, 2024, which took place virtually, Trudeau outlined the federal government’s strategy to bolster border security and discussed various potential responses to the looming tariff threat with the premiers.

Source
globalnews.ca