Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau traveled to Florida on Saturday for a three-hour meeting with former US President Donald Trump, raising questions about his motives. The visit comes as Trump pledged to impose tariffs on Canadian and Chinese imports on the first day of his new administration, a decision that could have significant repercussions on the Canadian economy.
Trudeau, who has often clashed with Trump during his presidency, appears to be preemptively responding to concerns about the potential impact of these policies on U.S.-Canada relations.
Why is Trudeau worried?
During Trump’s presidency, his “America First” policy led to contentious trade battles, including tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum and the renegotiation of NAFTA in the USMCA. .
Now, with Trump announcing tariffs on the first day of his new administration, Trudeau is reportedly seeking to establish a working relationship to minimize the potential economic fallout. THE Canadian economy relies heavily on the United States, with nearly 75% of its exports going south of the border. Any disruption to trade could have far-reaching consequences.
Trudeau’s visit also comes at a time of political and economic challenges in the country. Facing declining popularity due to inflation, housing shortages and a struggling Liberal Party, Trudeau is under pressure to provide strong leadership.
Outgoing President Joe Biden previously warned that Trump’s tariff threats could “spoil” relations between Washington, Ottawa and Mexico City. “I think it’s a counterproductive thing,” he said. Canada, the United States’ largest trading partner, exported $423 billion worth of goods and services to the United States in 2023.
Trump would actually harm American businesses (Trudeau)
Speaking earlier about the tariffs, Trudeau said: “Donald Trump, when he makes statements like that, he intends to implement them. There’s no doubt about that.”
The Canadian prime minister also said the potential tariffs would also “hurt” American businesses.
“Our responsibility is to emphasize that in this way it would not only harm Canadians who work so well with the United States. It would also raise prices for American citizens and harm American industry and businesses,” he declared. said.