Energy Minister of Canada States that Trump’s Tariff Plans Are Unknown to Many Republicans

President-elect Donald Trump’s plans regarding his tariff threat are still a mystery to Canadian officials and most Republicans, according to Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson on Thursday.

Wilkinson spent several days in Washington, D.C., this week meeting with congressional Republicans as the Canadian government strives to minimize the impact of Trump’s pledge to impose a 25 percent across-the-board tariff on all exports to the United States through an executive order.

According to Wilkinson, only a small group of officials are involved in formulating Trump’s executive order plans.

“Even Republican senators, congresspeople, and others closely connected to the administration are uncertain about the specifics of the potential tariffs,” Wilkinson told reporters on Thursday, the final day of his visit.

Wilkinson and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mélanie Joly are the most recent Canadian officials to visit Washington to meet with Republicans who could influence Trump to forego targeting Canada with tariffs.

Joly’s office confirmed her meeting with Republican Senate Majority Leader John Thune on Thursday evening. She also held discussions with Republicans Lindsay Graham and James Risch, as well as Democrat Jeanne Shaheen.

Wilkinson mentioned hearing about three tariff possibilities: 25 percent tariffs, 10 percent tariffs, and a lesser duty that escalates over time.

Initially, Trump indicated the tariffs were in response to drugs and illegal immigration, but later shifted focus to the trade deficit with Canada.

There has been significant discussion in Canada about how to respond to the situation, but Wilkinson mentioned that the government will have to wait and see the final tariffs applied.

On Thursday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau established a new 18-member Canada-U.S. relations council to aid the federal government in dealing with the impending administration.

Trudeau met with provincial leaders in Ottawa the day before, with most agreeing to a “Team Canada” strategy in response to Trump, although Alberta Premier Danielle Smith opted out.

During his own press conference, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre reiterated his call for a federal election to establish a robust majority government that would advocate for all Canadians and industries. He critiqued Liberal policies on pipelines and accused the government of weakening the country.

While the exact impact of the threatened tariffs is uncertain, B.C. Premier David Eby’s government released an estimated cost suggesting substantial financial losses and job cuts if a trade war were to persist.

Wilkinson voiced concern over mixed messages from Canadian leaders causing confusion among American legislators and industry, emphasizing the importance of clarity in Canada’s arguments.

He criticized NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh’s proposal to halt critical mineral exports to the U.S., stating that Singh is misguided in his approach.