Synopsis
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau firmly states that Canada will not relent in its trade conflict with the US, instigated by President Trump. Trudeau emphasizes the unjustified nature of the tariffs and vows to protect the Canadian economy against aggressive US measures.Key Takeaways
- Trudeau vows to stand firm against US trade war
- Canada retaliates with significant tariffs on US goods
- Claims of economic collapse as a motive for Trump's actions
- Canadian officials seek diplomatic solutions to avoid tariffs
- Trump's tariffs on Canada and Mexico take effect soon
Ottawa, March 5 (NationPress) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has declared that Canada will steadfastly resist the trade war instigated by US President Donald Trump.
During a press conference on Tuesday, Trudeau emphasized that there is no basis for the trade war currently affecting Canada and the US, and he affirmed that Canada will contest Trump's actions, as reported by Xinhua news agency.
"Today, the US has initiated a trade war against Canada, their closest partner and ally, their dearest friend," Trudeau remarked, reiterating Canada's commitment to retaliate.
The Canadian government retaliated with an initial 30 billion Canadian dollars (approximately $21 billion) in tariffs on US products, promising an additional 125 billion Canadian dollars within 21 days.
Trudeau asserted that American families, including Trump, will soon experience the adverse effects of these tariffs. Speaking directly to the camera, Trudeau called Trump's actions, "a very dumb thing to do."
He accused Trump of attempting to orchestrate a "complete collapse of the Canadian economy," suggesting that this could facilitate a potential annexation of Canada, which he firmly stated will never occur.
Trudeau dismissed Trump's justification for the tariffs, claiming they were based on a false narrative regarding fentanyl crossing the border from Canada to the US.
In response to concerns from Trump, Canadian officials engaged in a month-long diplomatic effort to avert tariffs, including appointing a new "fentanyl czar" and designating Mexican cartels as terrorist organizations.
On February 1, Trump enacted an executive order imposing a 25 percent tariff on goods imported from Mexico and Canada, with an additional 10 percent tariff specifically on Canadian energy products.
On February 3, Trump announced a one-month deferral of the additional tariffs on goods from Mexico and Canada to allow for more negotiations.
Trump confirmed on Monday that the 25 percent tariffs on Mexico and Canada would take effect on Tuesday, March 4.
