US President-elect Donald Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on trade with Canada is currently a hot topic of discussion in both the public and private sectors in Canada. However, according to expert commentators, Americans are heavily dependent on several Canadian exports, especially in the energy sector. New York State depends on Canadian electricity, and Donald Trump would certainly not want Canada to cut off its electricity supply even if he threatened tariffs. Would he suddenly prefer the luxury of walking up to Trump Tower and working in a candlelit office? Everyone needs to come to a realistic discussion.
Trump has threatened to impose tariffs of up to 25 percent on all imports from Canada and Mexico. Trump indicated before the election that the main problem is the flow of illegal drugs and immigrants across the border. How acceptable will this be to Americans, instead of solving that problem, he will create new problems himself?
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, meanwhile, has threatened to cut off power to 1.5 million homes in New York, Michigan and Minnesota from Ontario as a “last resort” if Trump follows through on his threat. But last week, Ford took a step forward, speaking in a more cooperative tone, laying out an energy plan called “Fortress Am-Can” that would rely more on Ontario’s existing nuclear infrastructure to provide sufficient power to the United States south of the border, while building new ones.
Leading the way in generous cooperation, Alberta Premier Daniel Smith, Quebec Premier François Legault and Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey have said they will not stop retaliatory energy exports.
“Trade negotiations and other bilateral issues are and always will be with our closest neighbours and allies,” Jean Christian, Canada’s 20th prime minister, who served from 1993 to 2003, told CTV in an interview.
“You know, Trump loves to be in the news, and the news gives him a lot of space,” he noted. “But the reality is, I don’t think I’m losing any sleep over it, because if there were a war like this, they would probably be a lot more hurt than we are. Canada is in a good position because of the nature of a lot of their exports to the United States.”
CTV News confirmed this week that Canadian government officials are narrowing down a list of American products to target if the federal government imposes retaliatory tariffs in response to Trump.
The sources said the tariffs include U.S. steel products and ceramics, including toilets and sinks, as well as Florida orange juice.
We can get orange juice and many other products from other countries to Canada, but electricity doesn’t come in trucks or ships. America buys a special type of oil from Alberta, and if they don’t buy from Alberta, they have to buy from Venezuela, but because it’s a special type, our oil is what they need and it’s cheap, and they can’t replace it with anything else. On the other hand, government policy experts say the tariffs will be one-on-one; that is, they’ll have a 25% tariff for ours.
“I don’t take Trump’s statement seriously, because I don’t think it’s going to happen, it’s not in America’s interest not to have a good neighbor like Canada to the north.”
There’s another side to Mr. Trump’s thinking, he doesn’t understand that if Canada had been part of the United States a few weeks ago, he would never have been president, because Canadians wouldn’t have voted for him.
“Canadians love their values, they point to being a liberal, tolerant society,” said former Prime Minister Christian.
Canadian officials are moving forward to counter Trump’s threats, so far so good. Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s appearance on several American television networks is a testament to that.
It is hoped that Donald Trump will probably back down from the tariff threats and the war of words.
Toronto, Canada
