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Tag: Canadin Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

  • Trump accuses Trudeau of using tariffs dispute to ‘stay in power’

    Trump accuses Trudeau of using tariffs dispute to ‘stay in power’

    US President Donald Trump accused Canadian leader Justin Trudeau of playing up a Canada-US trade war to cling to power, after they spoke in a “somewhat friendly” call on Wednesday.

    Trump said in a social media post that Prime Minister Trudeau “was unable to tell me when the Canadian Election is taking place, which made me curious, like, what’s going on here? I then realized he is trying to use this issue to stay in power.”

    Trudeau, who announced his resignation in January, is to step down after a Liberal party leadership contest this weekend chooses his replacement.

    That person will then also become prime minister, and have the power to call the next federal election, which must be held no later than October — though political analysts have said it could come earlier.

    Canadian prime ministers can call elections at any point in the government’s five-year term.

    Trudeau and Trump have had a fractious relationship since Trump’s return to the White House in January, as the pair sparred over trade and fentanyl trafficking.

    A frustrated Trudeau said Tuesday, after Trump moved ahead with imposing 25 percent tariffs on Canadian imports into the United States, that while he thinks Trump is a “smart guy,” the tariffs are a “very dumb thing to do.”

    He also accused Trump of seeking to collapse the Canadian economy to make the country easier to annex.

    Trump has spoken several times of making Canada the 51st American state.

    The Republican leader’s trade attacks have also been coupled with a particular animosity against the man he calls “Governor Trudeau.”

  • Canada imposes 25% tariffs on $155bn US goods

    Canada imposes 25% tariffs on $155bn US goods

    Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced that Canada would impose 25 per cent tariffs on $155bn worth of United States goods in response to new tariffs introduced by the Donald Trump administration.

    The retaliatory measures are set to take effect at 12:01 a.m. on Tuesday, mirroring Trump’s decision to impose a 25 per cent tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico, as well as a 10 per cent tariff on goods from China.

    Trudeau criticised the US tariffs, noting that “there is no justification for these actions,” pointing to the White House’s argument that the flow of drugs, including fentanyl, into the US warranted the tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China, though the amount of fentanyl coming across the northern border is very low.

    “While less than one of the fentanyl intercepted at the US border comes from Canada, we have worked relentlessly to address this scourge that affects Canadians and Americans alike,” Trudeau said in a statement on Monday reported by Fox Business.

    “We implemented a $1.3 billion border plan with new choppers, boots on the ground, more co-ordination, and increased resources to stop the flow of fentanyl.”

    He continued, “We appointed a Fentanyl Czar, listed transnational criminal cartels as terrorist organizations, launched the Joint Operational Intelligence Cell, and are establishing a Canada-US Joint Strike Force on organised crime.

    “Because of this work – in partnership with the United States – fentanyl seizures from Canada have dropped 97 per cent between December 2024 and January 2025 to a near-zero low of 0.03 pounds seized by US Customs and Border Protection.”

    According to Fox Business, in his statement, Trudeau made it clear that Canada would not let the US decision go unanswered. The first round of tariffs will target $30 billion worth of US goods, followed by an additional $125bn in tariffs after 21 days.

    Trudeau warned that the tariffs could result in higher prices for American consumers, affecting goods like groceries, gas, and cars. He also cautioned that the tariffs could lead to job losses in the US and disrupt the long-standing trade relationship between the two nations.

    He reiterated that Canada would remain firm in defending its economy and workers, emphasising the importance of a fair trade agreement.

    The PM said Canada “will not let this unjustified decision go unanswered”

    “Our tariffs will remain in place until the US trade action is withdrawn, and should US tariffs not cease, we are in active and ongoing discussions with provinces and territories to pursue several non-tariff measures.

    “While we urge the US administration to reconsider their tariffs, Canada remains firm in standing up for our economy, our jobs, our workers, and for a fair deal.

    “Tariffs will disrupt an incredibly successful trading relationship.They will violate the very trade agreement that was negotiated by President Trump in his last term,” the prime minister said.