TORONTO (AP) – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Monday that Americans are “starting to wake up to the reality that imposing tariffs on everything from Canada will make life more expensive,” adding that President Donald Trump He said he would retaliate if he imposed tariffs. .
Trump then responded by referring to Canada as a province and Trudeau as a governor.
Speaking at an event hosted by the Halifax Chamber of Commerce, Trudeau said dealing with Trump will be “a little more difficult” than last time because Trump’s team is coming in with a clearer set of ideas. also mentioned. what they want It should be done sooner rather than later after the country’s first election victory in 2016.
The next president of the United States is threatened to force All products are subject to 25% tax enter the United States from canada Mexico Unless we stop the flow of immigration and drugs.
“Mr. Trump was elected on a promise to make life better and more affordable for Americans. People south of the border would be much more expensive with tariffs on everything from Canada. I think people are starting to wake up to that reality,” Prime Minister Trudeau said. Said.
Over the weekend, President Trump appeared in an interview on NBC’s “Meet the Press” and said the president-elect cannot guarantee his policies. promised price This will not be the case with major foreign trading partners of the United States. raise the price For American consumers.
“Let’s not kid ourselves in any way,” Trudeau said. “A 25 per cent tariff on everything going into the United States would be devastating to the Canadian economy.”
“But it would mean great hardship for Americans as well. Americans import 65% of their crude oil, and a significant amount of their electricity, from Canada. Almost all of the natural gas exported from Canada They rely on us for steel and aluminum. They rely on us for imports of various agricultural products. All of that stuff is going to be more expensive.”
President Trump appeared to respond to Trudeau’s comments in a social media post late Monday, in which he said that during Trudeau’s recent dinner at Mar-a-Lago, Canada was the 51st He noted that some people said he joked about becoming a state.
“I had the pleasure of having dinner with the Governor of Great Canada, Justin Trudeau, last night. I look forward to seeing him again in the near future, so we can continue our thorough discussions on tariffs and trade.” The result will be truly great for everyone,” President Trump posted on Truth Social.
If Trump carry out his threat to impose a 25% tariff For everything imported from Mexico and Canada, Any subsequent price increases will collide His campaign promise was to free American families from inflation.
Economists say companies will have little choice but to pass on the additional costs. significant price increase Food, clothing, automobiles, alcoholic beverages, etc.
The Produce Distribution Association, a Washington trade group, said the tariffs would increase the price of fresh fruits and vegetables and hurt U.S. farmers if countries retaliated.
“As we did eight years ago, we will of course respond to unreasonable tariffs,” Prime Minister Trudeau said.
Prime Minister Trudeau said Canada imposed billions of dollars in new tariffs on the United States in 2018 in retaliation for new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum, and said his government is “the right way” to respond. He said he is still considering it.
Many American products were chosen for their political rather than economic impact. For example, Canada imports just $3 million worth of yogurt a year from the United States, most of which is produced at a single factory in then-Republican House of Representatives Speaker Paul Ryan’s home state of Wisconsin. A 10% customs duty was imposed on the product.
“It is true that we have imposed tariffs on bourbon, Harley-Davidson, Trump, Heinz ketchup, cherries and many other things, and they are targeted very carefully because of their political impact on the president’s party and his colleagues. ,” Prime Minister Trudeau said.
Prime Minister Trudeau said that when Trump says something, he means it, but he also knows that Trump is trying to create uncertainty and “a little bit of chaos” in our democracy.
“One of the most important things for us is not to panic,” Trudeau said.
“Knowing these will be absolutely devastating means we have to take them seriously, but it also means we have to be thoughtful and strategic. It means we need to make our case in a significant and united way, rather than trying to push the other side’s case.”
Canadian officials said it was unfair to lump Canada in with Mexico.
U.S. customs agents seized 43 pounds of fentanyl at the Canadian border last year, compared to 21,100 pounds at the Mexican border.
Most of the fentanyl that reaches the United States causes about 70,000 overdose deaths each year, but Created by a Mexican drug cartel Using precursor chemicals smuggled from Asia.
Regarding immigration, the U.S. Border Patrol reported 1.53 million illegal immigrant encounters at the southwest border with Mexico between October 2023 and September 2024. This compares to 23,721 encounters at the Canadian border during this period.
President Trump also claimed that the United States “gives Canada more than $100 billion a year in subsidies.”
Regarding the US trade deficit, Kirsten Hillman, Canada’s ambassador to Washington, said: told the Associated Press He noted that the United States had a $75 billion trade deficit with Canada last year, but that one-third of what Canada sells to the United States is energy exports, and prices are high.
Approximately 60% of US crude oil imports come from Canada, as do 85% of US electricity imports.
Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the United States, and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Department of Defense invests diligently in the interests of national security.
Approximately C$3.6 billion (US$2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross borders every day. Canada is the top export destination for 36 US states.
