U.S. President Donald Trump isn’t planning to impose tariffs on Canada right away, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The publication notes that Trump, who has just officially taken office as the country’s 47th president, has prepared 100 executive orders, but none of them include tariffs on Canada. A Trump administration official confirmed this to Reuters, noting that the U.S. will first “investigate and remedy persistent trade deficits and address unfair trade and currency policies by other nations,” including Canada.
Late last year, Trump promised to impose 25 percent tariffs on all Canadian and Mexican goods unless the countries clamped down on drugs and migrants crossing the border. Trump has also repeatedly made comments about annexing Canada, although he didn’t publicly address that at all during his first day on the job.
On Sunday, Anita Anand, Canada’s transport and internal trade minister, told CTV News that Canada is ready with major “retaliatory measures” should Trump move forward with the tariffs. “If pushed, our response will be the single largest trade blow the U.S. economy has ever endured, given that Canada is America’s largest export market — larger than China, Japan, the U.K. and France combined,” Anand said.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was much more diplomatic in his own statement on social media following Trump’s inauguration.
“Congratulations, President Trump. Canada and the U.S. have the world’s most successful economic partnership. We have the chance to work together again — to create more jobs and prosperity for both our nations,” he said.
It’s worth noting that some of the provinces have all issued their own responses. Danielle Smith, the premier of Alberta, broke with fellow premiers and the prime minister last week by refusing to sign a joint statement saying every countermeasure — including energy exports — is on the table to respond to Trump’s proposed tariffs on Canada. She was also criticized for visiting Trump at his Mar-a-Lago, Florida golf club and taking smiling photos with him amid the significant trade concerns between the two countries.
Ontario premier Doug Ford, meanwhile, says he’s told the LCBO to respond to U.S. tariffs by removing all American alcohol from its shelves.“We are the largest purchaser of alcohol in the entire world. They will feel the pain,” he said during a press conference on Monday. “I will make sure I communicate this to our other premiers that they should be following suit.”
It remains to be seen how Trump will proceed, especially with an impending election and Trudeau soon resigning as prime minister and Liberal leader.
Image credit: Shutterstock
Source: Reuters
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