As Canadians celebrated the countryB次元官网网址檚 birthday on Sunday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was on the road highlighting the stand he has taken against the U.S. governmentB次元官网网址檚 decision to impose tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum.
Speaking in Leamington, Ont., Sunday morning, Trudeau thanked residents and Canadians for always standing up for one another and for Canadian values.
B次元官网网址淭his is who we are, weB次元官网网址檙e there for each other in times of difficulty, in times of opportunity. We lean on each other and we stand strong and thatB次元官网网址檚 what we do from coast to coast to coast,B次元官网网址� Trudeau said.
The Ontario town is one of three cross-country stops the prime minister scheduled on Canada Day, and one of two designed to reflect the looming trade war between Canada and the United States.
Trudeau met with workers at a major canning and food processing operation in Leamington, where the tomato paste used in FrenchB次元官网网址檚 ketchup is made. Later in the day, he visited a major steel refinery in Regina. The two industries are at the heart of the trade dispute.
TrudeauB次元官网网址檚 counter-tariffs on a range of products took effect on Sunday B次元官网网址� a month after the Trump administration slapped duties on U.S. steel and aluminum imports from Canada and other allies.
CanadaB次元官网网址檚 response includes imposing $16.6 billion worth of tariffs on a long list of consumer products that come from a wide range of sectors B次元官网网址� from beer kegs, to ballpoint pens, to ketchup.
On Friday, Trudeau spoke with U.S. President Donald Trump by telephone, reiterating that Canada has had B次元官网网址渘o choiceB次元官网网址� but to take countermeasures against the U.S. tariffs.
It appears Trump, too, is not backing down.
In an interview that aired Sunday morning, Trump said he will delay signing a revised version of the North American Free Trade Agreement until after the U.S. mid-term elections in November in hopes of reaching a better deal.
He said he could quickly sign an agreement with Mexico and Canada, B次元官网网址渂ut IB次元官网网址檓 not happy with it. I want to make it more fair.B次元官网网址�
In the interview on Fox B次元官网网址 ChannelB次元官网网址檚 B次元官网网址淪unday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo,B次元官网网址� Trump again threatened to impose tariffs on imported cars, trucks and auto parts, saying, B次元官网网址淭he cars are the big ones.B次元官网网址� The move has been viewed as a possible negotiating ploy to restart NAFTA talks, which could resume following SundayB次元官网网址檚 elections in Mexico.
U.S. tariffs on auto imports would be a major blow to CanadaB次元官网网址檚 economy because of the importance of the auto industry plays in the country. The U.S. Commerce Department is expected to hold hearings on auto tariffs in late July and to complete its investigation into auto imports later this summer.
Despite the tense political rhetoric among leaders, Trudeau kept his remarks upbeat and patriotic on Canada Day as he spoke to a crowd in Leamington. He praised Canadians for their supportive attitudes in the face of a trade dispute with its largest trading partner.
B次元官网网址淭here is so much to be proud of as a country, but the thing we always have to be most proud of is Canadians ourselves B次元官网网址� the way we step, the way we lean on each other, the way weB次元官网网址檙e creative and optimistic about the future, the way we look at challenges as opportunities, to grow, to build, to be there for each other. ThatB次元官网网址檚 the message weB次元官网网址檙e celebrating on Canada Day,B次元官网网址� he said.
Trudeau was speaking on the front steps of Highbury Canco with CEO Sam Diab.
Diab said in an interview that the tomato-processing facility will face increasing cost pressures as a response to the Canada-U.S. trade dispute.
However, the company does not plan on laying off any workers or shrinking its production, Diab said.
Trudeau got a tour of the facility and the two spoke about the trade environment and how Diab supports TrudeauB次元官网网址檚 retaliatory tariffs.
B次元官网网址淲e just need closure so that we can move forward and companies can start investing again,B次元官网网址� said Diab, adding that the prime ministerB次元官网网址檚 visit to the company made him feel more B次元官网网址渃onfidentB次元官网网址� in the market.
B次元官网网址淥ur company will survive no matter what.B次元官网网址�
Later in the day in Regina, Public Safety Minister Ralph Goodale said CanadaB次元官网网址檚 tariffs were designed to offer a clear message that the Trump administrationB次元官网网址檚 trade action against Canada is B次元官网网址渋llegal and absurdB次元官网网址� and that Canada is responding, dollar-for-dollar, in retaliation.
B次元官网网址淲e will not just be victims of American policy, weB次元官网网址檙e going to fight back.B次元官网网址�
He said Trudeau wanted to be on the ground with steelworkers at a family event on the day CanadaB次元官网网址檚 counter-tariffs came into effect to B次元官网网址渕ake it really tangible what this is about.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not about corporate board rooms and decision-making at some 30,000-foot level. This touches families and lives and homes and communities.B次元官网网址�
Meantime, revellers on Parliament Hill who braved scorching temperatures to take in the festivities in Ottawa also expressed support for TrudeauB次元官网网址檚 hard line against Trump on trade.
Angela Egan said she feels Trump is trying to B次元官网网址渂ullyB次元官网网址� Canada into submission.
B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 glad that Justin Trudeau is standing up to him, because I feel like thatB次元官网网址檚 his modus operandi, he just tries to bully to get his way and we need to stand up for ourselves,B次元官网网址� she said.
B次元官网网址淚 think if you stand up to him, heB次元官网网址檒l back down.B次元官网网址�
Ian Cross of Prince Edward Island said he does not believe Canada-U.S. relations are being damaged too deeply by the current trade spat.
B次元官网网址淚 think weB次元官网网址檒l get through this. Everybody has to go through different arguments and discussions. People do it, families do it, so I donB次元官网网址檛 think this is a big deal.B次元官网网址�
The prime minister ended his long Canada Day tour in the Yukon where he was greeted by an enthusiastic crowd of about 600 people in Dawson City.
Arriving a little late, Trudeau waded slowly through the crowd that had gathered for a barbecue at the cityB次元官网网址檚 Waterfront Park, shaking lots of hands and posing for photos and selfies.
Premier Sandy Silver and Mayor Wayne Potoroka were there as Larry Bagnell, YukonB次元官网网址檚 Member of Parliament, gave Trudeau a rousing introduction as B次元官网网址渢he first prime minister in decades who has been outside Ottawa on Canada day.B次元官网网址�
Sounding a little hoarse, but still energetic, after his cross-country day of speech making, the prime minister said it was great to be back in the Yukon.
B次元官网网址淗appy Canada Day, Dawson City,B次元官网网址� he shouted to his cheering audience.
B次元官网网址淵ou know, IB次元官网网址檝e been right across the country all day, starting in Leamington, Ontario, through Regina, Saskatchewan, and ending here, and the sun is a long way from setting, so weB次元官网网址檝e got a lot of time to party still.B次元官网网址�
He then returned to his themes from earlier in the day, talking about Canadians being B次元官网网址渢here for each other,B次元官网网址� looking to the future B次元官网网址渨ith optimism and strength,B次元官网网址� and B次元官网网址渇acing down any challenges that come our way.B次元官网网址�
The Canadian Press
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