Visit to Washington | Minister Wilkinson promotes energy alliance

(Washington) Jonathan Wilkinson is the latest Liberal minister to visit Washington in the face of tariff threats from President-elect Donald Trump, and Canada’s energy minister promotes a Canada-U.S. energy alliance and of resources.

Mr. Wilkinson told U.S. elected officials there was no better way to achieve economic dominance, strengthen national security and demonstrate strength against China than to work with Canada.

“The United States cannot dominate the energy sector without Canadian energy,” said Wilkinson during a roundtable at the Wilson Center’s Canada Institute on Wednesday.

Mr. Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tariff on all imports from Canada when he returns to the White House next week.

According to Minister Wilkinson, this threat is “a little difficult to understand”.

Canadian electricity powers the equivalent of six million American homes, the United States imports four million barrels of Canadian oil per day, and Canada supplies natural gas to parts of the Pacific Northwest and California, he recalled.

He also cited U.S. dependence on Canadian uranium, potash and critical minerals.

Mr. Wilkinson suggested that a first goal of the Trump administration should be to build an energy and resources alliance with Canada, instead of imposing new damaging tariffs.

He stressed that Canada and the United States should jointly invest in mining and processing of critical minerals to reduce the two countries’ dependence on China. He also suggested increasing the flow of oil and potash from the Prairies to the United States.

“None of this is possible if we engage in a tit-for-tat exchange,” he argued.

Despite calls for unity, Canadian leaders have yet to agree on the country’s response or what retaliatory tariffs should be considered if Mr. Trump makes good on his threat.

Some say everything needs to be on the table, and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh has called for retaliatory tariffs on critical minerals, which have recently been the focus of significant investment by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Defense.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she would not support oil tariffs, adding it would cause a crisis of national unity.