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As the threat of tariffs from US President-elect Donald Trump looms, Canadian premiers have urged Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to 'respond robustly'. Some suggested cutting off energy supplies and highlighted other products for which the US "relies on" Canada.
Trudeau met with Canada's premiers on Wednesday to discuss Ottawa's plan to address Trump's concerns. This was the second meeting since Trump threatened to impose steep tariffs on Canadian imports after he was sworn in as President in January, CBC News reported.
Canada's finance minister, Chrystia Freeland, who was at Wednesday's meeting, said some premiers are in favour of a robust response to threatened US tariffs, CBC News reported. She also took suggestions from premiers on which products to target if retaliatory tariffs become necessary.
"Some premiers proactively identified products that their provinces produce and export to the United States -- and which the US relies on -- and which should be considered as part of the Canadian response," she said.
Further, Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who is currently the chair of the Council of the Federation, stated that the meeting was a "good start," as Canada needs to be ready to fight Trump's tariffs. "Canada needs to be ready to fight and that Trump's tariffs are 100 per cent coming. Folks, this is coming ... it's coming January 20 or 21, and we need to be prepared. We need to stand as a country," he stressed.
In a bold statement, Ford said that Canada could cut off energy supplies to the US as Canada sends a significant amount of oil, natural gas, and electricity south of the border. "We will go to the extent of cutting off their energy," he declared. "I don't want this to happen, but my number one job is to protect Ontario, Ontarians, and Canadians as a whole," he added.
Notably, Trump announced plans to impose steep tariffs on Canadian goods last month. According to CBC News, Trump has threatened to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods unless both countries address what he describes as an "invasion" of drugs, particularly fentanyl, and all "illegal aliens" into the US.
The US imported a significant amount of goods from Canada in recent years. In 2022, the total value of these imports was USD 614.3 billion, according to the Office of the United States Trade Representative. More recent data from the US Census Bureau shows that between January and September of this year, the US imported around USD 435 billion worth of goods from Canada.
