Trudeau says Trump speak of annexing Canada is a distraction tactic

OTTAWA (Reuters) -Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday mentioned U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s speak of presumably annexing Canada was a tactic designed to distract folks from the affect of his proposed tariffs.

Trump, who says he’ll impose 25% tariffs on all Canadian imports until Ottawa boosts border safety, on Tuesday mentioned he was contemplating financial pressure to amass Canada.

“What I feel is going on in that is President Trump, who’s a really skillful negotiator, is getting folks to be considerably distracted by that dialog,” Trudeau informed CNN when requested about Trump’s remarks.

“Oil and fuel and electrical energy and metal and aluminum and lumber and concrete and every thing the American customers purchase from Canada (are) instantly going to get much more costly if he strikes ahead on these tariffs,” he mentioned.

Trudeau, who this week mentioned there was not “a snowball’s likelihood in hell” that Canada would grow to be a part of the US, reiterated to CNN that Ottawa would impose countermeasures if Trump made good on this risk.

Trudeau recalled that in a bilateral commerce dispute in 2018, Canada put tariffs on Heinz ketchup, taking part in playing cards, bourbon, and Harley Davidson bikes – “on issues that might damage American staff.”

He added: “However we do not wish to try this as a result of it drives up costs for Canadians and it harms our closest buying and selling accomplice.”