U.S. President Donald TrumpB次元官网网址檚 team is indicating he wonB次元官网网址檛 hit Canada with damaging tariffs on his inauguration day.
It appears Trump is holding off on his tariff threat for now.
A Trump official B次元官网网址� who insisted on anonymity while outlining the incoming presidentB次元官网网址檚 plans during a call with reporters B次元官网网址� pointed to a Wall Street Journal report saying Trump would only sign a memorandum telling federal agencies to study trade issues, including alleged unfair trade and currency practices by Canada, Mexico and China.
After two months of political consternation over TrumpB次元官网网址檚 plans for his countryB次元官网网址檚 relationship with Canada, the Republican leaderB次元官网网址檚 inaugural speech marking his return to the White House on Monday did not mention AmericaB次元官网网址檚 northern neighbour.
TrumpB次元官网网址檚 speech offered no clarity on the status of his threat to impose a 25 per cent across-the-board tariff on Canadian products on day one of his new administration B次元官网网址� part of a massive agenda aimed at leading a deeply divided U.S. on a starkly different path.
TrumpB次元官网网址檚 team reportedly has prepared more than 100 executive orders. ItB次元官网网址檚 not clear whatB次元官网网址檚 in those orders or how many of them will be signed immediately.
In a statement issued Monday, Prime Minister Justin 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.
B次元官网网址淚 look forward to working with President Trump, his administration, members of the United States Congress, and officials at the state and local levels to deliver prosperity for our peoples B次元官网网址� while protecting and defending the interests of Canadians.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淚 think we want to see what the president decides to do,B次元官网网址� Kirsten Hillman, CanadaB次元官网网址檚 ambassador to the U.S., told Bloomberg B次元官网网址 last week. B次元官网网址淐anada will be ready for whatever comes our way.B次元官网网址�
Trudeau has said repeatedly that Canada is ready to respond with countermeasures if Trump makes good on his tariff threat.
Two federal government sources who were not authorized to speak publicly about details of the federal counter-tariff plan say the government is waiting to see what Trump does before revealing its response.
The federal government has promised to pump $1.3 billion in new resources into border security over the next six years in the hopes of convincing Trump not to impose tariffs.
Trump initially tied the tariffs to concerns about border security but later seemed more concerned with the trade imbalance between Canada and the U.S.
As Trump begins his second term as president, federal cabinet ministers are gathering in Montebello, Que., Monday and Tuesday to discuss the tariff threat.
Prime Minister Trudeau met with the countryB次元官网网址檚 13 premiers last Wednesday to discuss possible retaliatory actions. At the end of those meetings, he and 12 premiers released a statement pledging to present a united front to their American counterparts.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith opted out, saying she could not support any retaliation plan that included measures affecting oil and gas.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Monday the tariff threat still needs to be taken seriously, despite the news that Trump is expected to hold off.
B次元官网网址淗eB次元官网网址檚 just adding more uncertainty, (saying) B次元官网网址業 may not do it today, IB次元官网网址檒l do it tomorrow. Maybe IB次元官网网址檒l do it in a month.B次元官网网址� That doesnB次元官网网址檛 help,B次元官网网址� Ford told CityB次元官网网址. B次元官网网址淪o weB次元官网网址檙e going to take him serious.B次元官网网址�
The head of CanadaB次元官网网址檚 largest private-sector union said sheB次元官网网址檚 skeptical of the reports saying Trump wonB次元官网网址檛 proceed with tariffs, given how he imposed tariffs during his first administration.
B次元官网网址淣o one should be breathing a sigh of relief at all right now,B次元官网网址� Unifor president Lana Payne said Monday morning.
Payne said the B次元官网网址渃onstant threat of tariffsB次元官网网址� undermines investment and constantly puts CanadaB次元官网网址檚 economy in danger. She said the solution is to invest in industrial plans for Canadian manufacturing, put supports in place to prepare for job losses and collaborate across political parties, business and organized labour.
B次元官网网址淲e have to come together in a profound way over the next four years to make sure that weB次元官网网址檙e guarding against any future threat, but also making sure that weB次元官网网址檝e got our act together in Canada,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not going to stop here. The demands are going to grow.B次元官网网址�
Canada has multiple options for retaliatory tariffs ready to go depending on what Trump ultimately does. 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 is expected to be more modest.
Hillman appeared on multiple American news programs last week to make the case that any type of trade war between Canada and the U.S. should be avoided.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 really hopeful that we are not going to get to that place,B次元官网网址� Hillman told Bloomberg B次元官网网址.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not good for the U.S., itB次元官网网址檚 not good for Canada. And thereB次元官网网址檚 a lot of good things we can be doing together right now in energy and all sorts of other areas of trade.B次元官网网址�
While Trump vowed during the election campaign to introduce broad tariffs, a new poll suggests there is limited support for them among Americans.
An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey found almost half of U.S. adults oppose putting tariffs on all goods brought into the U.S. from other countries B次元官网网址� more than were in favour or were neutral on the question.
