Would Ottawa respond to a Trump tariff hike? “We already did it”

Would Canada respond to a 10% increase in tariffs on imports, as Donald Trump promised during the election campaign? Ottawa has already done so “reluctantly and without pleasure” during the standoff over steel and aluminum during its first mandate in Washington, recalled Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland.

When these illegal tariffs were imposed against Canada, we responded with equivalent tariffs, because we knew it was important to defend our national interestssaid the Minister of Finance at a press briefing in Ottawa on Friday.

What’s important about this experience is that Canada and the United States agreed in the end and it didn’t make sense for our two countries [d’avoir de tels tarifs en place]she insisted.

We know our trading relationship with the United States is strong and mutually beneficialpleaded the one who chairs the Cabinet Committee responsible for Canadian-American relations, nicknamed “Team Canada” by the government. We are the main export market [des Américains] – and by a good margin.

Canada is a bigger market for U.S. exports than China, Japan, the United Kingdom and France combined, Freeland said.

What Canadians need to remember is that we are important to them, too.

The border, a priority

A sign that border security is a priority for the government, it was the second subject discussed at the “Team Canada” meeting, said Ms. Freeland.

Controlling our border, knowing that we are truly a sovereign country that controls our border, is fundamental to the security of Canadians across the country.she said.

Chrystia Freeland added that the presence on the Cabinet Committee on Canada-US Relations of the Ministers of Public Safety and Immigration, Dominic LeBlanc and Marc Miller, was further proof of the importance of this issue for Ottawa .

However, no new measures have been announced.

“Team Canada” rises from its ashes

The Cabinet Committee on Canada-US Relations was reactivated with the re-election of Donald Trump. It is chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Freeland.

At his side at the end of the meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mélanie Joly, assured that the members of the committee had a plan. The two ministers wanted to be reassuring by listing the exchanges they had with their American and foreign counterparts, as well as with the Canadian business community.

On a l’intention [qu’il] either in solution modesaid Chrystia Freeland, drawing a parallel with a similar task force set up during the pandemic.

The committee will meet again early next week, Freeland said.