Canada prepares to repay the financial measures Trump has warned to impose

Justin Trido’s Prime Minister and the heads of the provincial governments pointed out yesterday Wednesday (15.1205) that they will consider all options to retaliate the possible US-wide increase in customs, adding that they maintain their hope that a trade war will be avoided. After Republican President-elect Donald Trump announced his intention to increase to 25% the tariffs on all products imported into the US from their two neighbouring countries (p. Canada, Mexico) as soon as it returns to the White House on Monday (20.1.2025), Canadian authorities consider how they will react. CORVERSE “If the US government chooses to apply the increase in customs duties, we will react in a targeted, energetic and decisive manner,” Justin Tridot stressed. “Everything is on the table,” he added. According to a source from the French Agency to the Canadian government, Ottawa is considering in particular the possibility of imposing duties on steel products, ceramics, such as toilets and sinks, glassware and orange juice produced in Florida. Head of provincial governments and opposition have also mentioned the possibility of drastically reducing exports of oil, electricity and key metals – such as rare earths – from Canada to the US. CORVERSE However the prime minister in Alberta, Danielle Smith, took distances from her colleagues on this issue and refused yesterday to endorse the final announcement of the session. It opposes any stumbling block in oil exports: over three million barrels are sent daily from this province to the US market. Alberta “simplely will not accept tariffs on exports of energy products or others, and we will not support the ban on exports of these products,” Mrs Smith said via X. Conversely, her counterpart in Ontario, Ontario’s financial engine, wants a strong reaction. “I’m sorry, but when there’s an attack on our country and an attempt to deprive people of their lives, we have to fight as never before,” Doug Ford stressed. The latter said that they would be endangered as even 500,000 jobs in his state if Mr Trump’s government increased tariffs by 25%. This measure would be disastrous for the Canadian economy, experts point out. The US is Canada’s most important trading partner, where 75% of Canadian exports end up. The jobs of nearly 2 million people in Canada depend on them, over a total population of 41 million.