- cross-posted to:
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- cross-posted to:
- [email protected]
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement on unjustified U.S. tariffs against Canada:
“Today, after a 30-day pause, the United States administration has decided to proceed with imposing 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian exports and 10 per cent tariffs on Canadian energy. Let me be unequivocally clear – there is no justification for these actions.
“While less than 1 per cent of the fentanyl intercepted at the U.S. border comes from Canada, we have worked relentlessly to address this scourge that affects Canadians and Americans alike. We implemented a $1.3 billion border plan with new choppers, boots on the ground, more co-ordination, and increased resources to stop the flow of fentanyl. We appointed a Fentanyl Czar, listed transnational criminal cartels as terrorist organizations, launched the Joint Operational Intelligence Cell, and are establishing a Canada-U.S. Joint Strike Force on organized crime. Because of this work – in partnership with the United States – fentanyl seizures from Canada have dropped 97 per cent between December 2024 and January 2025 to a near-zero low of 0.03 pounds seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
“Canada will not let this unjustified decision go unanswered. Should American tariffs come into effect tonight, Canada will, effective 12:01 a.m. EST tomorrow, respond with 25 per cent tariffs against $155 billion of American goods – starting with tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods immediately, and tariffs on the remaining $125 billion on American products in 21 days’ time. Our tariffs will remain in place until the U.S. trade action is withdrawn, and should U.S. tariffs not cease, we are in active and ongoing discussions with provinces and territories to pursue several non-tariff measures. While we urge the U.S. administration to reconsider their tariffs, Canada remains firm in standing up for our economy, our jobs, our workers, and for a fair deal.
“Because of the tariffs imposed by the U.S., Americans will pay more for groceries, gas, and cars, and potentially lose thousands of jobs. Tariffs will disrupt an incredibly successful trading relationship. They will violate the very trade agreement that was negotiated by President Trump in his last term.”
Politically an effort to be strong-armed must be answered in terms that the aggressor will perceive as strong. A call for a voluntary boycott will not cut it. It will also not be as effective at reducing reliance on US which Canada probably actually needs.
Agree to disagree. Taxing your own people in response is just as stupid as taxing your people to start with. It just reassures my belief that none of these politicians care about their people.
Is your issue with tariffs vs voluntary boycott the removal of choice from the individual?
As I said, my issue is it rarely affects the targeted country, but ALWAYS affects the targeting country since it’s THAT country that pays the tariff. It’s literally a tax imposed on citizens in hopes that it will cause them to stop buying a product from another country.
I’m the case of the US, we hardly make anything, so people just have to pay more. China doesn’t play fair so they can just subsidize the companies that make our products. Plus many of their products cost so much less than ours you can pay extra and still save money over buying American.
The last time Trump was president he imposed tariffs on washing machines, making them more expensive than foreign machines. What happened? American companies raised the price of their machines to match, negating any benefit of the tariff. I’m addition they raised the price of dryers, which people often buy at the same time.