U.S. President Donald Trump suggested his administration could move ahead with with 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs on Canadian imports on Feb. 1.

He delivered the deadline on Monday evening at the White House as he signed a stack of unrelated executive orders.

B次元官网网址淲e are thinking in terms of 25 per cent on Mexico and Canada because they are allowing vast number of people, Canada is a very bad abuser also, vast numbers of people to come in and fentanyl to come in,B次元官网网址� he told reporters Monday night.

The February date comes after Trump officials, speaking anonymously, suggested to reporters that the Republican president would only sign a memorandum telling federal agencies to study trade issues, including alleged unfair trade and currency practices by Canada, Mexico and China.

An executive order from the president late Monday mandating the studies set an April 1 deadline for the reports B次元官网网址� well after his suggestion that tariffs will happen in February.

Trump also said he may consider imposing a universal tariff on all countries.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e not ready for that yet,B次元官网网址� Trump said. B次元官网网址淓ssentially all countries take advantage of the U.S.B次元官网网址�

Foreign Affairs Minister M茅lanie Joly called it an B次元官网网址渋mportant moment for CanadiansB次元官网网址� after Trump announced the date.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e calling on every single political leader across the board, across the country, to stand united because now more than ever, we need to make sure that we put country first,B次元官网网址� Joly said at a cabinet retreat in Montebello, Que.

Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc said Ottawa is B次元官网网址渁bsolutelyB次元官网网址� ready for Trump tariffs, adding that Canada has responses prepared for various scenarios.

Federal government sources have said if Trump sets the tariffs at 25 per cent, CanadaB次元官网网址檚 response would be to impose counter-tariffs worth roughly $37 billion, and possibly follow up with another $110 billion in tariffs. If the duties are lower, CanadaB次元官网网址檚 tariff response would be more modest.

Trump, who gave his inaugural address earlier Monday in the Capitol Rotunda, focused largely on concerns about immigration at the Mexican border and touched on prosecutions of himself and his supporters. Suggesting he still has an eye on tariffs, Trump said he was going to overhaul the trade system to protect American workers and families.

B次元官网网址淚nstead of taxing our citizens to enrich other countries, we will tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens,B次元官网网址� he said during his inaugural address.

Federal and provincial officials in Washington were relieved that tariffs on Canadian goods were not part of TrumpB次元官网网址檚 inaugural speech. But many said Canada canB次元官网网址檛 afford to be complacent ahead of what could be a brutal hit to the economy.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 always good news when youB次元官网网址檙e not mentioned, so I prefer that,B次元官网网址� said Liberal MP John McKay, who co-chairs the Canada-U.S. interparliamentary group.

In an interview inside the Canadian embassy in Washington, McKay said Ottawa has an opportunity to establish B次元官网网址渁n agreed upon set of facts, as opposed to nonsense which is currently occupying the public space.B次元官网网址�

Trump has insisted for weeks that Washington is subsidizing Canada at an annual rate of $100 billion, a claim McKay called B次元官网网址渏ust nonsense.B次元官网网址�

Trade Minister Mary Ng sought to reassure Canadians earlier Monday, saying that Ottawa and the provinces have taken a Team Canada approach to convincing Americans that tariffs and restrictions on Canadian goods would only hurt U.S. jobs.

B次元官网网址淲e are ready and we are prepared,B次元官网网址� Ng said.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she saw opportunity for Canada in TrumpB次元官网网址檚 speech when he said he would B次元官网网址渄eclare a national energy emergencyB次元官网网址� to drive down prices at the pump and B次元官网网址渆xport American energy all over the world.B次元官网网址�

Smith said Canada can form a B次元官网网址減erfect partnershipB次元官网网址� with the U.S. to provide oil and gas at stable prices, so the Americans can focus on boosting their own energy exports.

B次元官网网址淎mericans want to have energy dominance globally, and I believe the best way for them to achieve that is for Canada to be a partner in that,B次元官网网址� she said.

B次元官网网址淚f their asks are reasonable, then letB次元官网网址檚 meet them halfway.B次元官网网址�

Last week, Smith refused to sign a joint statement with other premiers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that said every possible countermeasure would be on the table to push back against U.S. tariffs.

Smith, who recently travelled to TrumpB次元官网网址檚 Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida to meet with the president-elect, broke from the pack by refusing to consider any plan that would include possible levies on oil exports or cutting off energy supplies to the U.S.

In a statement issued Monday, Trudeau congratulated Trump on his inauguration and cited CanadaB次元官网网址檚 efforts to secure the border in response to the Republican leaderB次元官网网址檚 demands for a crackdown on migrants and drugs.

B次元官网网址淲e are strongest when we work together,B次元官网网址� Trudeau wrote.

When asked who would be his first foreign meeting, Trump said heB次元官网网址檇 already had meetings. He pointed to Trudeau, making a repeated jab about making Canada the 51st state by calling him a governor.

MondayB次元官网网址檚 inauguration presented a scene quite different from TrumpB次元官网网址檚 first inauguration in 2017, when he painted a bleak picture of what he called B次元官网网址淎merican carnageB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� a speech that was overshadowed in the news cycle by his claims about crowd sizes.

The celebrations also offered a stark contrast to the nature of TrumpB次元官网网址檚 departure from the nationB次元官网网址檚 capital four years ago. In the wake of the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill attack, Trump refused to accept the outcome of the 2020 election and skipped BidenB次元官网网址檚 inauguration.

Biden and his vice-president Kamala Harris, as well as former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, were in attendance on Monday inside the rotunda, as was Industry Minister Fran莽ois-Philippe Champagne.

Trump delivered his oath of office inside the U.S. Capitol after cold weather moved the planned ceremony indoors.

Outside, thousands of people wearing Trump tuques and hats braved the frigid weather near the Capitol One Arena, where Trump spoke later after his inaugural address.

Kenneth Johnson, visiting the capital from Boulder City, Nev., said he believes Trump will stop other countries from B次元官网网址渢aking advantageB次元官网网址� of the U.S. and bring down the cost of groceries.

B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檙e getting rid of the corruption. WeB次元官网网址檙e getting rid of the baloney,B次元官网网址� he said, citing President Joe BidenB次元官网网址檚 last-minute pardon of administration officials who might face retribution from Trump.

B次元官网网址淥ur nationB次元官网网址檚 going to be back under control,B次元官网网址� Johnson said.

Daniel Blake travelled from Connecticut to take in the moment and celebrate with others excited about the promise of smaller government.

B次元官网网址淲e basically waste our taxpayer money, so IB次元官网网址檓 excited about that,B次元官网网址� he said.