Canada says it is going to reply robustly if US imposes tariffs

By Divya Rajagopal

TORONTO (Reuters) – Ottawa and the provinces will reply robustly if the incoming U.S. administration goes forward with a promise to impose tariffs on imports from Canada, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland stated on Friday.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Freeland and the ten provincial premiers have held two telephone calls not too long ago to debate how finest to react if President-elect Donald Trump slaps a 25% tariff on U.S. imports from Canada.

“Within the occasion that the US had been to impose unjustified tariffs on Canada, after all we might reply, and the Canadian response would essentially be sturdy. I’m assured that it might be efficient,” Freeland instructed reporters.

Trump has stated he’ll maintain the tariffs in place till Canada clamps down on medicine and migrants crossing the border.

Bloomberg reported on Thursday that Canada was inspecting the doable use of export taxes on commodities together with uranium, oil and potash.

A Canadian authorities supply stated whereas all choices for retaliation had been on the desk, ministers and officers had been nowhere close to taking any type of choice.

Though Freeland stated Ottawa and the provinces would want to current a united entrance, some provincial premiers are sad in regards to the proposed response.

Scott Moe, premier of the western province of Saskatchewan, stated export taxes “could be a whole betrayal” by the Trudeau authorities. Saskatchewan produces oil, uranium and potash, he famous.

“Export taxes on these commodities could be a self-destructive response to U.S. tariffs as they might solely enhance the hurt to our economic system and jobs,” he stated in a publish on the X social media community.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith stated her oil-producing province would “not help slicing off our Alberta power exports to the U.S., nor will we help a tariff warfare with our largest buying and selling associate and closest ally”.