Premiers plan meeting with PM, scramble to respond to Trump's tariff threats

Donald Trump's threat to slap 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian goods imported into the United States has created major waves.

In a meeting of the BC Federation of Labour on Tuesday, Premier David Eby said the province must negotiate hard to try to counteract Trump’s threats.

“We buy more American stuff than France and China and the United Kingdom combined, so we are negotiating, I believe, from a position of strength,” Eby said.

Trump had made the threats via social media on Monday, saying he would impose the massive tariffs on both Canada and Mexico, unless they make significant inroads at their borders to curb illegal immigrants and drugs, notably fentanyl, from entering the U.S.

“There are improvements we can make on our border,” acknowledged Eby Tuesday. “We have called repeatedly, for example, for port police to ensure what comes into British Columbia is not contraband, is not illicit drugs, or precursor chemicals.”

According to Fiona Famulak, the president and CEO of the B.C. Chamber of Commerce, more than half of B.C.'s exports, including the natural resource sectors of oil and gas, agriculture, electricity, and lumber, go to our neighbours to the south.

“We export approximately $32 billion to the U.S. per year, so it would have sweeping impacts across a variety of sectors,” said Famulak on Tuesday.

The forestry sector, already reeling from 15 per cent duties scheduled to increase, says the tariffs would decimate the industry and create supply chain issues for others.

“What this causes is an increase price of things and, at the same time, it constrains or strangles the amount of wood going across the border, or other products going across the border,” said Brian Menzies with the Independent Wood Processors Association.

“Covid will be a blip compared to this,” he added.

B.C. Conservative Leader John Rustad wants the legislature to be called back on an urgent basis.

“Treat this as an emergency, let’s put emergency funding in place,” said Rustad.

“We'll pass that funding so that we can invest in securing our ports, in ending the fentanyl and migrant problem.”

Only a fraction of undocumented immigrants and illegal drugs cross Canada’s border to the United States, compared to Mexico.

The Prime Minister spoke with the U.S. president-elect on Monday evening about his threats, and has scheduled a virtual meeting with all premiers on Wednesday.

“The ‘Team Canada’ approach is what works, that we’re putting aside partisanship. That’s where I reached out immediately to Doug Ford to agree with him that we would have a first ministers’ meeting this week to talk about the United States,” said Trudeau on Tuesday.