Trudeau says Canada should assume ‘tactically and strategically’ on coping with Trump’s tariff threats

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks to enterprise and labour leaders on funding, commerce and worldwide markets amid the looming risk of U.S. protectionism in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, February 7, 2025.
| Photograph Credit score: Reuters

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated Friday (February 7, 2025) that Canada should assume “tactically and strategically” on cope with U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to impose hefty tariffs on all Canadian imports.

Talking in Toronto on the opening of a one-day summit on the Canada-U.S. financial relationship, Mr. Trudeau advised the gathering of commerce, enterprise and labour specialists the nation should work with the U.S. to keep away from tariffs.

He additionally stated Canada must remove inside commerce boundaries and broaden its commerce with different nations.

“It is a second,” stated Trudeau. “It is a time in our nation’s historical past that basically issues.”

Later, native media reported that Mr. Trudeau advised enterprise leaders on the summit that Mr. Trump’s feedback to make Canada the 51th state are “an actual factor.”

“Mr. Trump has it in thoughts that the best approach to do it’s absorbing our nation and it’s a actual factor. In my conversations with him on…,” Mr. Trudeau stated, earlier than the microphone reduce out, Canada’s public broadcaster CBC reported.

Mr. Trump on Monday agreed to a 30-day pause on threats to impose 25% tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada, with one other 10% tariff on Canadian oil, pure fuel and electrical energy.

Mr. Trump had threatened the tariffs to make sure better cooperation from the international locations to cease unlawful immigration and stop fentanyl smuggling, however he has additionally pledged to make use of tariffs to spice up home manufacturing and lift revenues for the federal authorities.

Mr. Trudeau stated Canada can use the 30-day extension to point out U.S. officers the nation’s elevated spending on border safety. Canada has introduced a 1.3 billion Canadian {dollars} ($900 million) border safety plan that features drones, helicopters, extra border guards and the creation of a joint process drive.

Mr. Trudeau additionally has promised to nominate a brand new fentanyl czar, who will function the first liaison between the Canadian and U.S. governments, although lower than 1per cent of the fentanyl and unlawful immigrant crossings into the U.S. come from Canada.

“We have to be very deliberate about how we proceed to have interaction carefully with the USA to make the case that Canada is answerable for a tiny a part of the North American fentanyl downside, however that we’re additionally bitterly touched by this tragedy,” Trudeau stated.

He added that Canada must be ready if Mr. Trump decides to go forward with the tariffs after 30 days.

“We have to be prepared to reply robustly,” he stated. “We additionally must be able to help Canadians by means of the responses we’re giving and thru a tough time of tariffs.”