Ottawa, Feb 1 (IANS) – Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has vowed a firm but measured response if US President Donald Trump proceeds with imposing tariffs on Canadian imports.
Speaking at a meeting of the Council on Canada-US Relations in Toronto, Trudeau emphasized that while Canada does not seek confrontation, it is fully prepared to act if necessary.
“It’s not what we want, but if he moves forward, we will also act,” Trudeau said, as reported by CBC News and Xinhua.
Meanwhile, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly, Public Safety Minister David McGuinty, and Immigration Minister Marc Miller are in Washington, engaging with Republican lawmakers and Trump’s team in a final diplomatic effort to deter the tariffs.
Trump is expected to announce the trade measures on Saturday. In response, Trudeau has reiterated that Canada will retaliate with dollar-for-dollar tariffs on US goods if necessary.
On Friday, Trump stated that Canadian oil would be subject to a reduced tariff rate of 10 percent, set to take effect on February 18. He also signaled future tariffs against the European Union, citing concerns over unfair trade practices.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended the move, linking the tariffs on Canada and Mexico to what she called their failure to curb the illegal fentanyl trade into the US, which she claimed has caused tens of millions of American deaths.
Canada and Mexico remain the United States’ largest trading partners, accounting for a significant share of imports into the country last year.
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