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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his cabinet ministers tried to calm fears that U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump will wreak havoc on trade and potentially devastate Canada’s export-driven economy.
Trudeau said he looks forward “to working with President Trump once again to strengthen North American economic opportunities for middle class.”
“We’ve been preparing for this,” Trudeau said Wednesday. “We’re looking forward to doing this work, and we’re going to make sure that this extraordinary friendship and alliance between Canada and the United States continues to be a real benefit to Canadians.”
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Trump has pledged a minimum 10 per cent tariff on everything the U.S. imports, and has not promised any exemptions for Canada. A review of the U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade agreement — which was negotiated during Trump’s first term — is also scheduled for 2026.
“I know that a lot of Canadians are anxious,” said Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, who was Canada’s point person on re-negotiating that trade deal with Trump six years ago.
“Canada will be absolutely fine,” Freeland went on. “We have a strong relationship with the United States. We have a strong relationship with President Trump and his team. Let’s remember that our trading relationship today is governed by the trade deal concluded by President Trump himself and his team. That’s really, really important.”
Freeland also said Trump understands that Canada-U.S. trade is “good for American workers.”
“Our partnership in no way undercuts American workers, and I know that that is at the heart of the concerns of President Trump and his team, because that is at the heart of our new NAFTA deal that we concluded with them,” Freeland said.
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Trade Minister Mary Ng said the Canada-U.S. trading relationship is “the envy of the world,” and her government will ensure it stays strong under the next Trump administration.
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