Trudeau: Ottawa Remains Committed to Working Around the Clock to Prevent US Tariffs
Canadian officials are working diligently to show that Canada is taking sufficient action on border security and fentanyl trafficking, which are the reasons behind the U.S. president’s looming tariffs,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated.
“We are working around the clock with the sole objective of preventing these tariffs from being imposed next Tuesday,” Trudeau told reporters in French on Feb. 27.
He added, “The president is concerned about fentanyl, and in that regard, we have ministers in Washington today to present the situation on the ground.” Public Safety Minister David McGuinty is in Washington this week to discuss border security with American officials.
U.S. President Donald Trump has pledged to implement blanket 25 percent tariffs on Canada and Mexico on March 4, citing inadequate action on border security by the two countries.
While U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick had suggested on Feb. 26 that Canada and Mexico could avoid the tariffs by proving to the U.S. administration that they had taken sufficient steps on border security, Trump announced a day later that the tariffs would be enforced due to “unacceptable” levels of fentanyl entering the United States from these nations.
Initially set to impose the tariffs on Feb. 4, Canada and Mexico secured 30-day deferrals following phone conversations with Trump on Feb. 3. Trudeau pledged to appoint a “fentanyl czar,” designate drug cartels as terrorist organizations, and allocate $200 million for intelligence operations to combat fentanyl, in addition to the previously committed $1.3 billion to enhance border security.
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Trudeau clarified to reporters that less than 1 percent of the fentanyl entering the United States comes from Canada; however, even 1 percent or less should be reduced. He highlighted Ottawa’s $1.3 billion border package introduced in December, which includes funding for additional Black Hawk helicopters and drones.
If Canada faces tariffs, Trudeau stated that the country will retaliate with “immediate and extremely strong” tariffs on $30 billion of goods imported from the United States, as well as additional tariffs on $125 billion of goods 21 days later.
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During a press conference, Trudeau was asked about reports from The Telegraph based on an anonymous source alleging that White House official Peter Navarro had pushed to redraw the Canada-U.S. border during negotiations. Navarro had also been the subject of another report earlier that week, which Navarro refuted, stating it was baseless and a result of media reporting with anonymous sources.
Trudeau responded that he had not seen the report but was uncertain “what negotiators we’re talking about here,” as there were “no negotiations happening with the American government on any topic currently, especially not on any significant issue.”
“I can tell you that we all heard Donald Trump discuss creating a 51st state. That is something that will never come to pass. Canadians will never agree to such a proposal, but we should take it seriously regardless,” he remarked.
Trudeau stressed the advantages of the partnership between Canada, the United States, the U.K., Australia, and New Zealand, stating that Canada has contributed by possessing “one of the best cybersecurity centers globally.”
“The advisor in question [Navarro] publicly clarified that the proposal was not under consideration. It is completely understandable that it is not on the table, as Canadians, Americans, and our global allies have worked exceptionally well together to keep our citizens safe,” Trudeau added.
“It has become too simplistic for politicians to make shocking and irresponsible statements. We see it happening around the world quite frequently these days,” Trudeau remarked. “I am not one of those Canadian politicians who believes that is a responsible way to lead a nation or engage in important political discussions.”
