๊Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has vowed that Canada will respond “immediately and forcefully” if US President Donald Trump follows through on his threat to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports.
🐎Speaking to an advisory council on Canada-US relations on Friday, Trudeau emphasised the country’s preparedness to retaliate, warning Canadians that tough times may lie ahead.
🧸“We're ready with a response—purposeful, forceful but reasonable, immediate,” Trudeau stated in televised remarks. “It's not what we want, but if he moves forward, we will also act.”
💫Trump has set a Saturday deadline to implement the tariffs, which he claims are necessary to curb the flow of illegal immigrants and fentanyl into the US from Canada and Mexico. The tariffs would be a blow to Canada’s economy, which relies heavily on the US market for exports, with 75 per cent of its goods and services sold south of the border.
▨Trudeau didn’t mince words, acknowledging that the nation’s economy would be severely affected if the tariffs went ahead. “I won’t sugarcoat it—our nation could be facing difficult times in the coming days and weeks,” he said. “I know Canadians might be anxious and worried, but I want them to know the federal government, and indeed, all orders of government, have their backs.”
🍌In the face of the looming threat, Trudeau’s government is actively working to prevent the tariffs from being implemented. Three key Canadian ministers—Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, Public Safety Minister David McGuinty, and Immigration Minister Marc Miller—are in Washington, DC, making a last-ditch diplomatic effort to sway Trump and Republican lawmakers before the deadline.
According to CBC꧂ news, Joly confirmed that Canada has a three-stage retaliation plan in place, but stressed that Trump has yet to make a formal decision. “Should there be tariffs, we will be ready day one… we have a strong plan,” Joly said. “The reality is we’ve yet to see a piece of paper declaring [the tariffs]."
While tensions mount, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio attempted to downplay the severity of the situation, stating that the tariffs are “not hostile moves” and suggesting that Canada is not a strategic threat to the United States. “They're good friends. I mean, we work with them on a lot of things,” Rubio said during an appearance on The Megyn Kelly Show🐓. “We have a deep partnership with them, but there are some issues we’re going to need to address.”
꧅Trump’s tariff threat follows his accusations that both Canada and Mexico have failed to prevent the flow of illegal migrants and the opioid fentanyl into the US, though Trudeau and Canadian officials have firmly rejected these claims. The looming tariffs add another layer of uncertainty to the already complex Canada-US relationship, with both sides facing increasing pressure to find common ground.
