(Ottawa) The best way to get Donald Trump to back down on his customs tariffs is to completely stop exporting critical minerals to the United States, according to the leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP), Jagmeet Singh. He calls on the leaders of all federal parties to support this idea.
Posted at 12:54 p.m.
“He is a bully and the only thing he understands is strength and pain,” he said at a press briefing.
There is therefore no point in going to meet Mr. Trump at his Mar-a-Lago residence as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau did in November and the Premier of Alberta, Danielle Smith, over the weekend to try to dissuade him from imposing customs tariffs of 25% on Canadian products. She also returned from her short stay with the feeling that the president-designate was going to carry out his threat after his swearing in on January 20.
PHOTO FROM DANIELLE SMITH’S X ACCOUNT
Danielle Smith, Donald Trump and Kevin O’Leary at Mar-a-Lago
“We know the United States needs our essential mineral,” he said. […] Let’s stop the flow of these essential minerals to the United States. There is no quicker way to get Donald Trump to drop tariffs than to turn off the tap on critical minerals. »
These minerals, like aluminum, are crucial elements of modern technologies. Nickel, graphite and lithium, for example, are used in the composition of batteries for electric cars.
Does the New Democratic leader not fear the negative impact of such a proposal on jobs in the aluminum sector in Quebec?
“I’m afraid for the impacts of this battle, it’s not something I want to see, but the reality is that Donald Trump understands nothing but force,” he insisted. […] So we have to be ready with retaliatory tariffs and I proposed that we start with essential minerals to show strength, to show that we are ready to fight and to show that if the United States, if Donald Trump is taking actions against Canada, which will also hurt the United States. »
While he proposes to make a show of force by ceasing the export of critical minerals south of the border, Mr. Singh believes it is too early to cut oil exports to the United States. “It’s a tool that should be on the table, but it’s not something we should start with,” he responded to a reporter’s question.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, said in an interview on the show Question Period on the CTV network on Sunday that “everything was on the table” when the host asked if Canada was considering cutting its energy exports to the United States.
PHOTO JUSTIN TANG, CANADIAN PRESS ARCHIVES
The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly
Such a measure would trigger “a crisis of national unity”, warned Prime Minister Smith reported on National Post. Alberta produced 84% of Canada’s 2023 oil, according to the federal Department of Natural Resources (NRC). It was followed by Saskatchewan and Newfoundland and Labrador.
The proposal to end energy exports was first floated by Ontario Premier Doug Ford in December. His province exported 9% of its total electricity production in 2023 according to RNC data.
Instead, he now proposes that the two countries form an “Am-Can fortress” with an integrated energy and electricity network to propel their prosperity.
Faced with the void left by Justin Trudeau’s government, Prime Minister Ford took leadership of the Canadian-American relations file. He has been multiplying interviews on American and international television channels for several weeks to convince Americans that Canada and the United States have every interest in working hand in hand.
A meeting between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the premiers of the provinces and territories to discuss Canadian retaliation is planned in Ottawa on Wednesday.
With The Canadian Press
