If the United States imposes tariffs on its Canadian imports as soon as Donald Trump returns to the White House next Monday, Canada will be ready to retaliate immediately.
This was confirmed Friday morning by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, who is in Washington to try to convince elected officials of the Republican Party that imposing tariffs is a bad idea.
Ms. Joly insisted that, if Mr. Trump carries out his threat from the day he is sworn in, Canada will not take time to react.
“We have a series of measures that are already ready, certainly tariffs linked to imports, and if the president ever moves forward on Monday, we will be ready,” said the minister during a press briefing. virtual.
“And we are also ready for a second round. And we are ready for a third round. And we are ready to put maximum pressure, because it is a trade war that President Trump would start,” she added.
Canada more ready than the United States?
Since Wednesday, Ms. Joly has been in the American capital to try to make Republican representatives of Congress understand that, if the Trump government does impose tariffs of 25% on Canadian products, the American economy will also suffer repercussions. important.
According to her, several of her interlocutors were “surprised” to discover to what extent the United States economy could be affected by such tariffs, which she now describes as “Trump taxes”.
Will this message be enough to convince the Trump administration to back down? Hard to say.
“When it comes to working with President Trump, we know that the ultimate decision-maker is him. It’s the president himself. So, we must not take anything for granted and we must defend ourselves. We must be ready, and that is exactly the work I am doing here in Washington,” said Minister Joly.
-Asked whether, three days before Donald Trump returns to power, she has the impression that the future American government will really move forward with customs tariffs of 25%, Mélanie Joly stressed that we must prepare. to any eventuality.
“I think the decision [sur l’ampleur des tarifs] is not made, and I think the only person who knows what decision will be made is the president himself,” she explained, prompting her to say that Canada’s response is perhaps even more ready than the threat from the United States.
During her time in Washington, Ms. Joly spoke with both Republicans and Democrats, including Senate Majority Leader John Thune, South Carolina Senator Lindsay Graham, New Hampshire Senator Jeanne Shaheen and Idaho Senator James Risch.
Energy and Natural Resources Minister Jonathan Wilkinson was also in the US capital this week. He also said Thursday that Mr. Trump’s plan regarding tariffs was not clear, even among elected Republicans.
There for the fight, if necessary
Meanwhile, in Ottawa, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau chaired a first meeting Friday morning of his Council on Canada-US Relations, an advisory committee that must “support the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers at this crucial time for relations between Canada and the United States.
At the start of the meeting, Mr. Trudeau maintained that we will “continue to be there as Canadians, strong, reasonable, not looking for a fight, but we will be there for the fight if it is necessary “.
“We hope not,” he added.
Three former provincial premiers, Jean Charest, Rachel Notley and Stephen McNeil, are part of the Council on Canada-American Relations, as is Canada’s ambassador to Washington, Kirsten Hillman.
