Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday urged listeners to take seriously threats issued by U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to slap 25% blanket tariffs on Canadian imports. Such a move would hurt both countries’ economies, he warned. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI |
License PhotoNov. 29 (UPI) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Friday that U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is serious about a threat to impose stiff import tariffs on Canadian imports and warned they would hurt both economies.
Speaking to reporters Friday in Prince Edward Island where he announced an agreement to expand the National School Food Program to the maritime province, Trudeau said he believes Trump isn’t bluffing with his threat this week to slap blanket 25% tariffs on all products from Canada and Mexico.
“One of the things that is really important to understand is that Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out,” he said. “There’s no question about it.”
Some economists are alarmed that such a stiff tariff could bring economic growth to a halt in Canada if implemented, but at the same time argue the threat may just be a negotiation ploy as the president-elect seeks action from Canada and Mexico on stemming the flows of illegal migrants and drugs into the United States.
Trump also threatened this week that China will face tariff hikes of 10% above any existing tariffs until it stops the flow of illegal drugs.
Trudeau, however, said it’s a mistake to believe Trump is bluffing and warned that a move to actually implement the tariffs could have very negative consequences for both countries.
The U.S. Census Bureau reported the United States exported $263.5 billion worth of goods to Canada while importing $309.3 billion during the first three quarters of this year.
“Our responsibility is to point out that, in this way, he would be actually not just be harming Canadians, who work so well with the United States, he’d actually be raising prices for American citizens as well and hurting American industry and businesses,” the prime minister said.
His comments came two days after he met with Canadian provincial leaders to discuss a unified response to the tariff threat, which if implemented could push the nation into a recession, according to some forecasts. It seemed likely that at least some level of accommodation to Trump’s demands on border issues would be agreed to.
Trudeau said Friday he’d be able to negotiate with Trump on vital trade issues despite a history of animus between the two leaders.
“We’re going to work together to meet some of the concerns and respond to some of the issues, but ultimately, it is to lots of constructive, real conversations with President Trump that I’m going to have that will keep us moving forward on the right track for all Canadians,” he said.
“We were able to protect great jobs in Canada by working with President Trump on renegotiating [the North American Free Trade Agreement] in ways that secured our economy for decades to come.
“We rolled up our sleeves, we created growth across both sides of the border, [and we will] continue to work constructively and responsibly for the win-win that is the Canada-U.S. relationship,” Trudeau said.
