As Donald Trump’s swearing-in as U.S. president approaches, a Sudbury-based mining supply company says it has prepared for the tariffs he has promised to impose on Canadian exports.
In recent weeks, Donald Trump declared that he would impose tariffs of 25% on all Canadian exports to the United States.
The President and CEO of Railveyor TechnologiesTas Mohamed, takes Mr. Trump’s comments very seriously.
The company she runs designs and builds equipment to transport ore in mines.
Open in full screen mode
Tas Mohamed is the CEO of Railveyor, a mining supply company based in Sudbury.
Photo: Photo provided by Hayley Pearton
Ms. Mohamed says she took steps to reduce the potential impact of tariffs on her business as soon as Mr. Trump was nominated as the Republican presidential candidate.
We had listened to his campaign so we were aware of the possibility of this happening
says Ms. Mohamed.
We then decided to start diversifying our business sectors outside the United States.
Support request
The American market represents 25 to 30% of the company’s revenues. Railveyor.
-As the Trump presidency approaches, Tas Mohamed said it is also in talks with U.S. suppliers to avoid any future tariffs when selling to U.S. customers.
Ms. Mohamed thinks the federal and provincial governments should also take steps to help Canadian businesses like hers that will be affected by the tariffs.
Perhaps some tariff relief in the short term. This might help us while they continue negotiations. This would give us a little leeway of three or four months
she emphasizes.
Extreme proposition
Damon Lieurance is a business owner in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, just across the border from Ontario.
He is a Republican and according to him Mr. Trump’s tariff threats are a negotiating tactic. He thinks that it is a question of negotiating and arriving at a common point
.
Might as well start with the extreme proposition and work backwards
he explains.
History professor at Laurentian University in Sudbury, Janice Liedl, said she was shocked by Mr. Trump’s suggestions that Canada should become the 51st state of the United States.
A resident of Sudbury for years, she is originally from Indiana and says she sees differences between the two countries.
There are many things that separate Canada from the United States and this will complicate any potential annexation plans for Canada.
she declares.
With information from CBC’s Jonathan Migneault
