For the primary time since U.S. president-elect Donald Trump threatened hefty tariffs on Canadian items, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took his argument in opposition to the import taxes on to the American public.
Trudeau informed CNN’s Jake Tapper in an interview on Thursday afternoon {that a} 25 per cent tariff on Canadian merchandise would harm each international locations.
“We have now so many sources in Canada — greater than our market can assist — so we export them to our closest good friend who can depend on them. It’s a win-win,” he stated.
Within the first interview Trudeau has given since he introduced he can be stepping down as prime minister earlier this week, Tapper requested Trudeau about Trump’s latest feedback that Canada ought to change into the 51st state.
“That is not going to occur. Canadians are extremely happy with being Canadian. One of many methods we outline ourselves most simply is, ‘Nicely, we’re not American,'” the prime minister stated.
Trudeau stated he believes Trump’s feedback are supposed to distract from the anticipated financial fallout of the tariffs if the president-elect makes good on his menace.
“All the pieces the American shoppers purchase from Canada is abruptly going to get much more costly and that is one thing we should be specializing in somewhat bit extra,” he stated.
On a go to to Washington, D.C., Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to U.S. President-elect Donald Trump’s menace to make Canada the 51st state, saying one of many methods Canadians outline themselves is ‘We’re Canadian as a result of we’re not American, and that is not going to vary.’
Ottawa is preparing a list of hundreds of American-made goods — together with metal, plastics and orange juice — that Canada is contemplating hitting with retaliatory tariffs, in keeping with a senior Canadian authorities supply.
Trudeau informed Tapper that the federal government was getting ready to hit again if Trump follows by way of on his tariff menace, as Canada did during his previous administration.
The prime minister was in Washington Thursday for the funeral of former president Jimmy Carter. Trump was additionally in attendance however the two did not communicate. Talking briefly to reporters, Trudeau repeated a lot of what he stated on CNN and did not take any questions.
Though that is Trudeau’s first look on American community tv since Trump issued his tariff menace, a few of Canada’s premiers — particularly Ontario’s Doug Ford and Alberta’s Danielle Smith — have made a number of appearances in latest weeks to make the case in opposition to tariffs.
Poilievre outlines his plan to take care of Trump’s threats
Simply moments earlier than Trudeau’s interview, Conservative Chief Pierre Poilievre held a campaign-style press convention during which he outlined how he would counter Trump’s threats.
Among the many factors he listed in his ready remarks, Poilievre stated he would provide extra vitality to gasoline the American tech trade, decrease taxes to spur funding in Canada and make the economic system “extra unbiased and fewer weak to threats from overseas.”
“We’ll arise and we’ll state clearly that Canada is a sovereign and unbiased nation — that we’ll shield our integrity as a nation by way of power,” he stated.
Poilievre additionally vowed to take the case in opposition to tariffs on to American union staff and enterprise leaders.
“We must always go to the American staff within the Midwest and their union and enterprise leaders and say, ‘What number of jobs are you ready to lose by hitting Canadian vitality with tariffs?'” he stated.
Conservative Celebration Chief Pierre Poilievre says he believes the query of a carbon tax is vital to Canadian voters as a result of it might end in Canadian useful resource firms transferring jobs and cash south to the U.S. He added that large tax cuts on vitality are wanted to deliver manufacturing again to Canada.
Whereas taking questions from reporters, Poilievre was requested if he has or is planning to talk to Individuals to make his case in opposition to tariffs.
“Look, I am not the prime minister. I respectfully ask the Canadian folks to serve them in that position,” he stated in response.
Poilievre — who has a large lead over the Liberals within the polls — referred to as on Trudeau to name an election instantly.
“I want the mandate, the mandate to place our nation first, to make the case to the Individuals,” he stated.
Thursday was the primary time Poilievre has spoken to reporters since Trudeau introduced he can be stepping down. The Conservative chief argued that it did not matter who the Liberals select as their new chief as a result of “they’re identical to Justin.”
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