U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tariff on all Canadian goods starting February 1st, citing concerns about immigration and unfair trade practices. This move has sparked a wave of concern in Canada, with officials vowing to retaliate if Trump follows through with his threat.
U.S. President Donald Trump suggested his administration could move ahead with 25 percent tariffs on Canadian imports on February 1st. He delivered the deadline on Monday evening at the White House as he signed a stack of unrelated executive orders. Trump told reporters, 'We are thinking in terms of 25 percent on Mexico and Canada because they are allowing vast numbers of people, Canada is a very bad abuser also, vast numbers of people to come in and fentanyl to come in.
' 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. Trump also said he may consider imposing a universal tariff on all countries. 'We’re not ready for that yet,' Trump said. 'Essentially all countries take advantage of the U.S.' \Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly called it an 'important moment for Canadians' after Trump announced the date. “We’re 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,' Joly said at a cabinet retreat in Montebello, Que. Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc said Ottawa is 'absolutely' 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 percent, Canada’s 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, Canada’s 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. 'Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich other countries, we will tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens,' he said during his inaugural address. Federal and provincial officials in Washington were relieved that tariffs on Canadian goods were not part of Trump's inaugural speech. But many said Canada can't afford to be complacent ahead of what could be a brutal hit to the economy. 'It's always good news when you're not mentioned, so I prefer that,' 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 'an agreed upon set of facts, as opposed to nonsense which is currently occupying the public space.' Trump has insisted for weeks that Washington is subsidizing Canada at an annual rate of $100 billion, a claim McKay called 'just nonsense.' 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. 'We are ready and we are prepared,' Ng said. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she saw opportunity for Canada in Trump's speech when he said he would 'declare a national energy emergency' to drive down prices at the pump and 'export American energy all over the world.' Smith said Canada can form a 'perfect partnership' with the U.S. to provide oil and gas at stable prices, so the Americans can focus on boosting their own energy exports. 'Americans 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,' she said. 'If their asks are reasonable, then let's meet them halfway.' 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 Trump's 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 Canada's efforts to secure the border in response to the Republican leader's demands for a crackdown on migrants and drugs. 'We are strongest when we work together,' Trudeau wrote. When asked who would be his first foreign meeting, Trump said he'd already had meetings. He pointed to Trudeau, making a repeated jab about making Canada the 51st state by calling him a governo
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