Unity among provinces and the federal government is critical in the face of the grave challenge posed by the threat of massive new import tariffs from CanadaB次元官网网址檚 closest trading partner, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said Wednesday following an emergency first ministersB次元官网网址� meeting.

The premiers met virtually Wednesday with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, along with Freeland, Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc and RCMP Deputy Commissioner Mark Flynn. The meeting came just 48 hours after U.S. president-elect Donald Trump said he will impose punishing new taxes on all Canadian and Mexican imports the same day he is sworn into office in January.

Trump said he will keep the tariffs in place until both countries move to stem the flow of illegal migrants and drugs into the United States.

B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 want to minimize for a moment the gravity of the challenge we now face,B次元官网网址� Freeland told reporters on Parliament Hill, shortly after the meeting ended.

She said Canadians should have confidence that while Canada depends on the United States, B次元官网网址渢he United States also depends on us.B次元官网网址�

She said that the way to meet the challenge successfully is by presenting a united front B次元官网网址渆specially when it comes to our conversations with our American neighbours.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淣ow is really a moment for us not to squabble amongst ourselves,B次元官网网址� Freeland said.

She said she felt there was an agreement around the table that it was the time for B次元官网网址渆veryone to play for Team CanadaB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址� but that unity was already being tested as Freeland spoke.

Premier Doug Ford, who chairs the premiersB次元官网网址� council, put out a statement following the meeting that accused the federal government of being flat-footed in the face of TrumpB次元官网网址檚 threat. He said Ontario has pushed Ottawa for months B次元官网网址渢o show that Canada understands, cares and is responsive to U.S. security and economic concerns.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淒uring this eveningB次元官网网址檚 meeting, I stressed that the federal government has been slow to react and is stuck on its back foot,B次元官网网址� said Ford, who joined the meeting from Toronto.

B次元官网网址淚 expressed my hope that this eveningB次元官网网址檚 meeting is the start of a more proactive approach from the federal government, including by showing that it takes the security of our border seriously by cracking down on illegal border crossings and stopping the transport of guns and illegal and illicit drugs like fentanyl, or risk the economic chaos of Trump tariffs.B次元官网网址�

Earlier in the day, Ford said there was not enough funding to properly police the border.

Ford said he met with officials from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Canada Border Services Agency and Ontario Provincial Police ahead of the meeting.

LeBlanc, whose portfolio includes the Canada Border Services Agency, said the RCMP meets weekly with American law enforcement agencies including U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Drug Enforcement Agency.

LeBlanc said there are conversations about additional resources for the border, and said he would hope that no party in Parliament would block any kind of spending bill to pay for those resources.

LeBlanc was referring to the ongoing stalemate in the House of Commons as the Conservatives prevent debate on most legislation until the Liberals provide unredacted documents on allegations of misspending at a now-defunct federal green technology fund.

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said that during the meeting, he discussed strengthening federal investment in the RCMP in Manitoba and law enforcement generally.

B次元官网网址淭he point that I made to the prime minister and the premiers on the call is, listen, Manitobans have long been talking about drugs being an issue in our communities. This is going back many years,B次元官网网址� Kinew said.

B次元官网网址淎nd so, whatB次元官网网址檚 the downside if we invest in law enforcement and we crack down on drug trafficking here, at a time when that message might be well received in the (United States)?B次元官网网址�

Quebec Premier Fran莽ois Legault said he asked Trudeau for a plan to secure the borders, but came out of the meeting without a B次元官网网址渃lear answer.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 clearly asked Mr. Trudeau to submit a detailed plan to better secure the borders, to avoid Mr. TrumpB次元官网网址檚 25 per cent tariff,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚 didnB次元官网网址檛 get a clear answer, but we hope (for it) because there was support from other premiers as well,B次元官网网址� he said.

He added: B次元官网网址淚 donB次元官网网址檛 think itB次元官网网址檚 time to play at, B次元官网网址業s it true or not that our borders arenB次元官网网址檛 secure.B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址�

In a statement issued after the meeting, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith called for the federal government and provinces bordering the United States B次元官网网址渢o take immediate steps to crack down heavily on these illegal border activities.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淚 communicated this very clearly to the prime minister, and further indicated that Alberta will be acting urgently and decisively to patrol our own shared border with Montana, with more details to be announced soon in that regard.B次元官网网址�

The premiers had requested a meeting on Monday, before Trump issued his tariff threat.

University of Calgary economics professor Trevor Tombe authored a study this fall with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce examining what that could cost Canada. After running the numbers this week for 25 per cent tariffs, he posted on social media that it would cause a recession.

Tombe said the economy in Canada next year would shrink 2.6 per cent, or by about $2,000 per person.

Freeland said while Canada depends on the United States, the reverse is also true. The Americans are heavily dependent on Canada for oil, electricity and critical minerals and metals, she said.

B次元官网网址淲hen it came to the economic relationship, we talked about the fact that trade between Canada and the United States is balanced and mutually beneficial,B次元官网网址� Freeland said of the meeting. B次元官网网址淭hat Canada is the largest market for the United States by far larger than China, Japan, the U.K. and France combined.B次元官网网址�

Trump has pledged to cut American energy bills in half within 18 months, something that could be made harder if a 25 per cent premium is added to Canadian oil imports. In 2023, Canadian oil accounted for almost two-thirds of total U.S. oil imports and about one-fifth of the U.S. oil supply.