Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday that he had a “good” exchange with Donald Trump the day before, after the shock announcement by the American president-elect who wants to increase customs duties on Canadian products to 25%.
• Also read: “Catastrophic” customs tariffs of 25%: towards a recession in Canada?
• Also read: Trump promises a 25% increase in Canadian customs taxes
• Also read: “A huge risk to the Quebec and Canadian economy”: Trump’s customs taxes worry the political scene
“We talked about the intense and fruitful ties between our two countries” and “the challenges on which we can work together,” added the head of the Canadian government to the press.
On Monday, Donald Trump announced on his social network that his first economic measures after his inauguration on January 20 will be to increase customs duties by 10% on products coming from China and to introduce 25% taxes on those coming from from Canada and Mexico.
A government source explained to AFP on Tuesday morning that the conversation between Donald Trump and Justin Trudeau had been “productive and constructive” and “focused on trade and border security”.
The two leaders pledged to “stay in touch,” according to the same source.
In this context, Justin Trudeau also announced that he had planned to meet this week with the premiers of the provinces, several of whom were alarmed by Mr. Trump’s announcement on Monday.
In the country, where 75% of exports go to the United States, the news sent a shock wave.
The Prime Minister of Quebec, François Legault, estimated that this announcement represented “a huge risk” for the Canadian economy. His British Columbia counterpart, David Eby, said “Ottawa must respond firmly.”
The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, will meet virtually with his provincial counterparts late Wednesday to discuss this threat of 25% customs tariffs.
– With the QMI Agency
