Canada vows swift action if Trump's tariffs take effect
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau stated that if the United States enforces tariffs on Canada on Tuesday, the Canadian government will react swiftly and firmly. His remarks came in response to a question about Ottawa’s approach to President Donald Trump’s tariff announcement.
Trudeau reaffirmed that every effort would be made to prevent tariffs. However, he stressed that if these unjustified measures are imposed on Canada on Tuesday, the government will respond promptly and with exceptional force, as Canadians expect. He made this statement during a press conference in Montreal.
Canada prepares for Trump's decision
US President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that the suspended tariffs on imports from Mexico and Canada will come into effect on Tuesday, March 4 and he will impose an additional 10% tariff on products from China. This is related to the continued influx of fentanyl across the borders – added Trump, although statistics indicate a significant decrease in the smuggling of this drug.
Trudeau emphasized that the federal government, provincial governments, and all government partners have so far focused on ensuring that "when Tuesday and the following weeks come, there are no tariffs imposed on Canada." He also pointed out that the tariffs currently discussed by Donald Trump are linked to the fentanyl crisis experienced by the United States, but which is also present in Canada.
- I've been emphasizing that less than 1% of the fentanyl that arrives in the United States comes from Canada - said Trudeau, adding that Canada wants to eliminate even that one percent. Therefore, the federal government has invested approximately 1.3 billion Canadian dollars in border protection with the USA, including new equipment such as helicopters and drones.
When Canada was preparing to introduce retaliatory tariffs on the USA at the beginning of February, the government announced that 25% tariffs on imports from the USA would cover goods valued at approximately 150 billion Canadian dollars. However, the White House postponed the imposition of tariffs by a month.
