Trudeau set to meet with premiers today following U.S. tariff threat

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to meet with the country’s premiers this afternoon, after they asked for an urgent meeting on U.S.-Canada relations ahead of the incoming Donald Trump administration.

That request came Monday, before the U.S. president-elect threatened to impose a 25-per-cent import tariff on goods coming from Canada and Mexico.

Trudeau and the premiers will hold a virtual meeting at 5 p.m. today.

Trump said in a social media post Monday night that he would keep the tariffs in place until Canada and Mexico stop illegal border crossings and prevent drugs such as fentanyl from entering the U.S.

The House of Commons held an emergency debate on the threat Tuesday night, following a request by the NDP and the Conservatives.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said during the debate that Canada is the largest export market for the United States, and that includes essentials such as oil, electricity and critical minerals.

"Canada is essential to the United States’ domestic energy supply," she said.

Freeland added law enforcement and border agencies from both countries are working to disrupt fentanyl coming from countries such as China. 

"Canada is absolutely committed to working with our American neighbours to ensure that their northern border is fully secured," she said.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Trudeau should have been better prepared.

"President Trump had been saying that he would do this. He was elected three weeks ago. You'd think the prime minister would have been furiously planning, preparing, meeting with the premiers and talking about a counter plan during that time," he said.

"And now we learn that since the threat happened, he's come up with exactly one response, a Zoom call."

Poilievre said Canada needs a "real plan."

NDP MP Blake Desjarlais called for Canada to diversify its trade away from the United States.

He said Canada needs to show the U.S. and Trump "that our industries are not just the best industries and produce the best quality, but they are also desired elsewhere," such as in Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2024.