Trudeau and Provincial Leaders Convene to Address Trump’s Potential Tariffs
Canada’s premiers are set to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and members of his cabinet today to discuss U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s threat to impose steep tariffs.
Trump has pledged to impose 25 percent tariffs on all Canadian and Mexican imports as part of several actions planned for his first day in office through an executive order set to be executed on Monday.
Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc held discussions on Tuesday with Ontario Premier Doug Ford, the current chair of the premiers’ group, regarding Canada’s response.
“I saw the plan for border security. It’s phenomenal. As I said to Minister LeBlanc, have Public Safety Minister David McGuinty start promoting it because it’s a solid plan,” Ford stated.
Only a day prior, Ford criticized the Trudeau government for not sharing details of the border plan.
LeBlanc mentioned that the finance department and major Canadian banks have been working on forecasting potential job losses due to the tariffs but chose not to divulge that information on Tuesday.
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“We’re not going to speculate on the different scenarios. Next week, we anticipate having precise details on how these tariffs will impact the Canadian economy, and we will be prepared to respond from a position of strength,” LeBlanc stated.
Ford estimated that the tariffs could result in the loss of 500,000 jobs in Ontario alone.
Trump’s discourse on tariffs has changed recently, emphasizing the U.S. “subsidizing” Canada through trade and implying it should become the 51st state.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly declared last week that retaliatory tariffs would be discussed in the meeting with the premiers.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith met with the president-elect at his Mar-a-Lago estate over the weekend, as a guest of Canadian entrepreneur and TV personality Kevin O’Leary.
Smith advised against blocking oil and gas exports to the U.S. as part of the tariff response, cautioning it could trigger a “national unity crisis.”
When asked about the possibility of halting energy exports on Tuesday, Ford and LeBlanc expressed their willingness to consider all options.
“We need to be prepared to implement all necessary measures to protect the Canadian economy, but we won’t publicly speculate on what options are or aren’t available,” LeBlanc added.
LeBlanc has met with Trump and his administration twice since the U.S. election—once with Trudeau and another time with incoming U.S. cabinet members alongside Joly.
Quebec Premier Francois Legault was seen conversing with Trump in December at the reopening of the restored Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.
Smith mentioned she plans on attending Trump’s inauguration next week.
Drew Fagan from the Munk School of Global Affairs emphasized the need for a united front among all Canadian leaders and officials to effectively navigate the Trump administration.
“Currently, it seems a bit chaotic, which is challenging for us because successful negotiations with the United States, as the smaller party, rely on smart decision-making achieved through coordination and focus,” he explained.
