B.C. Finance Minister Brenda Bailey Monday (Jan.20) said "uncertainty" continues to loom even U.S. President Donald Trump did not impose tariffs on Canada on Day 1 of his presidency.

"The good news is we have time to continue to make our case directly to the new administration," she said. 

She also reiterated that "everything is being looked at" when asked which American industries might be targeted for retaliatory tariffs in case the United States imposes tariffs.

Pointing to past comments from Premier Eby, potential sectors for retaliatory could include American-made alcohol, orange juice from Florida and Harley-Davidson motorbikes, "focusing on products that are particularly (made) in red states where they will have impact and potential to influence the people within Trump's own party."

This list of items subject to potentially retaliatory tariffs echoes the list of items targeted for retaliatory tariffs by the European Union during the first Trump presidency following American tariffs on European-made steel. 

Trump's inauguration speech did not specifically mention his northern neighbour, but promised to "overhaul" his country's trade system to "protect American workers and families" with trade barriers. 

"Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich other countries, we will tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens," Trump said, one of several references he made to tariffs. 

Bailey said she did not breathe "a sigh of relief" when Trump did not specifically mention Canada as a target of tariffs.

"I'm concerned that this is going to come to fruition. The fact that President Trump is setting up an external office in order to collect tariffs and...that he again doubled down on his commitment to go ahead with with tariffs did not provide me with any relief whatsoever, unfortunately."

Bailey added she is "hopeful though that our attempts with negotiations will come to fruition and that a Team Canada approach will be successful and perhaps there is a little bit more time for that work to move forward." 

In other words, government appears to think that tariffs are coming, it is just a question of when.

"Unfortunately, we don't get to know (how much time remains for negotiations). So what we need to do is prepare." 

"First, we need to respond," she said. "We are devoted to a Team Canada approach and believe this our strongest way to respond to this quite frankly, bullying behaviour. We have noticed that...Mr. Rustad has responded in a different way and we think it is really important that Canadians stand together." 

With these comments, Bailey was responding to criticism from Conservative Party Leader John Rustad, who said on social media that Eby should "stop playing politics by ramping up the unnecessary trade war with Trump."

Bailey also cited steps to build up B.C.'s domestic economy by speeding up permitting and diversifying B.C.'s trade relations. 

Looming behind Bailey's criticism of Rustad's comment is the larger question of how the provincial political elite at large should work with each other. 

University of B.C. political science lecturer Stewart Prest said there is value in "in over-reacting, in not really trying to alienate the U.S. administration when we are really still at that stage of talking about tariffs and not about taking action that really will negatively affect the Canadian economy."

Prest added that it "would be irresponsible for a provincial leader not to act vigorously to make it clear that he or she will defend the interests (of B.C.) when they are challenged."

But Prest is not so sure that any leader will be able to deal with any internal divisions at home, at least in the short term.

"A subset of the population in Canada seems to identify with the Trump (Make American Great Again) Project at least as strongly, with the idea of Canadian interests," he said. 

While it is important to make the case that tariffs are not in the interest of Canada, "it's difficult in a polarized environment to make that case effectively," he said.

"At a certain point, this is going to fall on (Pierre) Poilievre's shoulders," Prest added. "He is going to be the one to articulate what it means to be Canadian facing tariff threats from the United States. But until that point, I don't know there is much Mr. Eby can do to bring the Conservatives in B.C. onside, other than perhaps to extend an olive branch and perhaps to enlist their aid in making the case for a prosperous B.C. in partnership with the United States."