Canadian premiers urge sturdy response to Trump tariff risk, minister says

By Nia Williams

(Reuters) – Some Canadian premiers are urging Ottawa to reply robustly to the specter of tariffs from incoming U.S. President Donald Trump and have highlighted essential minerals and metals as merchandise that the U.S. depends on, Canada’s Finance Minister stated on Wednesday.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and different authorities ministers met with provincial premiers to debate Trump’s pledge to impose steep tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports after he’s sworn in as President in January.

That pledge has raised fears of a commerce battle between the U.S. and two of its greatest buying and selling companions.

“Quite a lot of premiers provided sturdy help for a sturdy Canadian response that included among the premiers proactively naming essential minerals and metals that their provinces produce, and that are exported to america,” Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland informed reporters after the assembly.

Canada’s emphasis proper now’s on reaching out to U.S. officers, Freeland stated, including that Canadian enterprise and labor leaders are additionally getting in contact with their U.S. counterparts.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford (NYSE:F) stated vitality exports to america is also halted, with out providing additional particulars.

Ontario exports electrical energy to the U.S., however doesn’t produce any of the 4 million barrels per day of oil that Canada ships south of the border.

“We’ll use each device in our toolbox, together with chopping them off vitality that we’re sending down,” Ford informed reporters.

Trudeau on Monday stated Canada would reply to unfair tariffs, because it did over the last Trump presidency when Ottawa added tariffs to items together with bourbon, Harley Davidson bikes and cherries.

Trump has stated he’ll preserve protectionist commerce measures in place till Canada and Mexico clamp down on medication and migrants crossing the borders into the U.S.

The federal authorities additionally mentioned deliberate border safety measures with the premiers, stated Minister of Public Security Dominic LeBlanc, including Canada would subsequent share these particulars with Trump’s staff as soon as they’re finalized.