U.S. President Donald Trump is threatening to impose 100 per cent tariffs on Canada if it goes through with a trade deal with China.
Referring to Prime Minister Mark Carney as “governor,” his old insult for former prime minister Justin Trudeau, the president’s social media post Saturday morning says Canada cannot become a “Drop Off Port” for China to send products into the U.S.
“China will eat Canada alive, completely devour it, including the destruction of their businesses, social fabric, and general way of life,” writes Trump.
“If Canada makes a deal with China, it will immediately be hit with a 100% Tariff against all Canadian goods and products coming in the U.S.A.”
A few hours after that post, Trump added that “the last thing the World needs is to have China take over Canada. It’s NOT going to happen, or even come close to happening!” without elaborating further.
In response to Trump’s Saturday morning threat, Canadian officials took to social media on Saturday afternoon to clarify for Trump that recent talks with China were to resolve “several important tariff issues” between the two countries.
“There is no pursuit of a free trade deal with China. What was achieved was resolution on several important tariff issues,” wrote Dominic LeBlanc, the Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. trade relations.
“As the Prime Minister said this week, Canada and the United States have built a remarkable partnership in our economy and security — and we will remain focused on ensuring the future of that relationship will benefit workers and businesses on both sides of our border.”
Several Liberal cabinet ministers echoed LeBlanc’s response as they gathered on Parliament Hill Saturday for caucus meetings.
“It is what it is,” said Mark Miller, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture. “You have to take these things seriously, but we’re not negotiating a free trade agreement with China. It’s a serious statement, we take it seriously, but we have to control what we control.”
“I try not to focus too much on tweets that you see on social media, I try to focus on the policies that we can put in place,” added Justice Minister Sean Fraser.
“We need to build an economy that can stand on its own two feet, making it easier to do big things at home, diversifying into new markets around the world.”
Earlier this month, Carney committed to dropping Canada’s 100 per cent tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles in exchange for tariff reductions on Canadian agricultural products, including lobsters, crabs and canola.
Trump initially had said that agreement was what Carney “should be doing and it’s a good thing for him to sign a trade deal.”
Carney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Most Canadian goods are shipped to the U.S. without tariffs under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement, and it was not immediately clear if Trump’s new tariffs would apply to those products. That trade agreement is up for review this year.
Carney has not yet reached a deal with Trump to reduce some of the tariffs that he has imposed on key sectors of the Canadian economy not protected by CUSMA.
Trump’s threat came amid an escalating war of words with Carney as the Republican president’s push to acquire Greenland strained the NATO alliance. Trump had commented while in Davos, Switzerland, this week that “Canada lives because of the United States.” Carney shot back that his nation can be an example that the world does not have to bend toward autocratic tendencies.
Carney has emerged as a leader of a movement for countries to find ways to link up and counter the U.S. under Trump. Speaking in Davos before Trump, Carney said, “Middle powers must act together because if you are not at the table, you are on the menu,” and he warned about coercion by great powers — without mentioning Trump’s name. The prime minister received widespread praise and attention for his remarks, upstaging Trump at the World Economic Forum.
The prime minister even spoke of a “rupture” between the U.S. under Trump and its Western allies that would never be repaired.
Trump later revoked his invitation to Carney to join the president’s “Board of Peace” that he is forming to try to resolve global conflicts.
Trump’s push to acquire Greenland has come after he has repeatedly needled Canada over its sovereignty and suggested it also be absorbed by the United States as a 51st state.
He resumed that this week, posting an altered image on social media showing a map of the United States that included Canada, Venezuela, Greenland and Cuba as part of its territory.
Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US $2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, as are 85% of U.S. electricity imports.
Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security.
Files from The Associated Press and Canadian Press were used in this report
U.S. President Donald Trump is threatening to impose 100 per cent tariffs on Canada if it goes through with a trade deal with China. Referring to Prime Minister Mark Carney as “governor,” his old insult for former prime minister Justin Trudeau, the president’s social media post Saturday morning says Canada cannot become a “Drop Off Canada
U.S. President Donald Trump is threatening to impose 100 per cent tariffs on Canada if it goes through with a trade deal with China.
Referring to Prime Minister Mark Carney as “governor,” his old insult for former prime minister Justin Trudeau, the president’s social media post Saturday morning says Canada cannot become a “Drop Off Port” for China to send products into the U.S.
“China will eat Canada alive, completely devour it, including the destruction of their businesses, social fabric, and general way of life,” writes Trump.
“If Canada makes a deal with China, it will immediately be hit with a 100% Tariff against all Canadian goods and products coming in the U.S.A.”
A few hours after that post, Trump added that “the last thing the World needs is to have China take over Canada. It’s NOT going to happen, or even come close to happening!” without elaborating further.
In response to Trump’s Saturday morning threat, Canadian officials took to social media on Saturday afternoon to clarify for Trump that recent talks with China were to resolve “several important tariff issues” between the two countries.
“There is no pursuit of a free trade deal with China. What was achieved was resolution on several important tariff issues,” wrote Dominic LeBlanc, the Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. trade relations.
“As the Prime Minister said this week, Canada and the United States have built a remarkable partnership in our economy and security — and we will remain focused on ensuring the future of that relationship will benefit workers and businesses on both sides of our border.”
Several Liberal cabinet ministers echoed LeBlanc’s response as they gathered on Parliament Hill Saturday for caucus meetings.
“It is what it is,” said Mark Miller, Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture. “You have to take these things seriously, but we’re not negotiating a free trade agreement with China. It’s a serious statement, we take it seriously, but we have to control what we control.”
“I try not to focus too much on tweets that you see on social media, I try to focus on the policies that we can put in place,” added Justice Minister Sean Fraser.
“We need to build an economy that can stand on its own two feet, making it easier to do big things at home, diversifying into new markets around the world.”
Earlier this month, Carney committed to dropping Canada’s 100 per cent tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles in exchange for tariff reductions on Canadian agricultural products, including lobsters, crabs and canola.
Trump initially had said that agreement was what Carney “should be doing and it’s a good thing for him to sign a trade deal.”
Carney’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Most Canadian goods are shipped to the U.S. without tariffs under the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement, and it was not immediately clear if Trump’s new tariffs would apply to those products. That trade agreement is up for review this year.
Carney has not yet reached a deal with Trump to reduce some of the tariffs that he has imposed on key sectors of the Canadian economy not protected by CUSMA.
Trump’s threat came amid an escalating war of words with Carney as the Republican president’s push to acquire Greenland strained the NATO alliance. Trump had commented while in Davos, Switzerland, this week that “Canada lives because of the United States.” Carney shot back that his nation can be an example that the world does not have to bend toward autocratic tendencies.
Carney has emerged as a leader of a movement for countries to find ways to link up and counter the U.S. under Trump. Speaking in Davos before Trump, Carney said, “Middle powers must act together because if you are not at the table, you are on the menu,” and he warned about coercion by great powers — without mentioning Trump’s name. The prime minister received widespread praise and attention for his remarks, upstaging Trump at the World Economic Forum.
The prime minister even spoke of a “rupture” between the U.S. under Trump and its Western allies that would never be repaired.
Trump later revoked his invitation to Carney to join the president’s “Board of Peace” that he is forming to try to resolve global conflicts.
Trump’s push to acquire Greenland has come after he has repeatedly needled Canada over its sovereignty and suggested it also be absorbed by the United States as a 51st state.
He resumed that this week, posting an altered image on social media showing a map of the United States that included Canada, Venezuela, Greenland and Cuba as part of its territory.
Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states. Nearly $3.6 billion Canadian (US $2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. About 60% of U.S. crude oil imports are from Canada, as are 85% of U.S. electricity imports.
Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum and uranium to the U.S. and has 34 critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is eager for and investing in for national security.
Files from The Associated Press and Canadian Press were used in this report