BC Throne Speech Focuses on US Tariffs

Lt.-Gov. Wendy Cocchia delivers the throne speech in the assembly at the legislature in Victoria, B.C., on Feb. 18, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chad Hipolito

The B.C. government vowed during its Feb. 18 throne speech to fight back against U.S. tariffs, describing the next four years as the “most consequential time for our province since the Second World War.”

Lt.-Gov. Wendy Cocchia opened the B.C. legislature with a speech that portrayed a provincial government dedicated to defending its residents against an economic war instigated by the United States.

Cocchia’s presentation of the NDP government’s agenda drew heavy parallels to World War II, referencing British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, the D-Day invasion, and the fight against the Nazi agenda.

“In the face of an unprecedented and unjustified threat to our economy, British Columbians are joining with all Canadians to fight back,” she said, speaking on behalf of Premier David Eby’s government.

“We’ve come together to support each other and stand up for our country. We are saying with one united voice: We will never be the 51st state. Not now or ever.”

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to slap tariffs on Canada and has repeatedly suggested that Canada should become the 51st state.

Cocchia said a “tariff war” with the United States would severely impact families on both sides of the border, but the province must be prepared to retaliate if needed.

“B.C. will respond to any economic attack on our families, firmly and forcefully, as part of a united Team Canada effort,” Cocchia said. “This is not a fight we started. This is not a fight we want. But we won’t ever roll over or let our guard down.”

Eby Addresses Tariff Threats

Eby was questioned by reporters during a press conference after the speech about the multiple wartime references and the lack of details about other government policies.

The premier said it was “essential to reorient government” to face the threat of new U.S. policy, adding that tariffs are the main issue of concern both for his government and the residents of the province.

He described the potential trade war as a moment in history when the province and Canada as a whole is facing a “powerful foe” in the form of the U.S. president.

“Regardless of whether your house is bombed or whether you’re foreclosed from it because you were fired makes very little difference to a family, and this feels to British Columbians and Canadians … like an unprovoked attack,” Eby said. “We’re facing continual threats to our sovereignty from the president of the United States, from the leader of a country where literally two months ago it would have felt absurd to suggest that [he] had intents toward us that were anything other than neutral or somewhat positive.”

Opposition Reaction

Conservative Opposition Leader John Rustad was critical of the government’s failure to only briefly mention fentanyl during the throne speech.

“There wasn’t a mention of how to plan to tackle that head-on,” Rustad said. “As a province, we need to be able to address this far more succinctly than what is happening in British Columbia.”

Rustad said how the province deals with its fentanyl issue is of utmost importance considering it is one of the key trade issues between Canada and the United States.

Trump signed a Feb. 1 executive order to impose 25 percent tariffs on Canada to push the country to address illegal migrants and fentanyl crossing the Canada-U.S. border. A 30-day reprieve was secured on Feb. 3 following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s commitment to boost border security. Trump has indicated he will reinstate the tariffs if he is not happy with Canada’s measures to tackle cross-border fentanyl trafficking.

The president has also announced his intention to impose 25 percent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports to the United States beginning March 12 and is considering the introduction of a wide array of additional tariffs in April targeting several countries, including Canada.

Rustad argued that Eby’s focus should not be on tariffs alone. He called the potential trade war with the United States “a shiny new excuse” to ignore affordability and public safety issues. He also criticized the government for failing to implement the $1,000 grocery rebate it promised during the election campaign.

Finance Minister Brenda Bailey announced last week the government would not be able to deliver the promised $1,000 rebate cheques to residents, because the province needs to save money in the face of U.S. tariffs.

“The truth is that David Eby gave all of his MLAs a raise, pulled back the $1,000 he promised British Columbians, and went into hibernation for nine long months,” Rustad said in a social media post. “Now, Eby is coming out of hibernation to feign leadership and play politics.”

The BC Green caucus said the government is caught in a cycle of reaction and has failed to adopt a proactive approach.

“It’s easy to employ wartime analogies in face of a fresh, headline-grabbing crisis, but a government with a real vision for the future needs to be laser focused on delivering results to all the long-standing crises British Columbians are facing,” BC Green interim Leader Jeremy Valeriote said in a statement.

NDP Promises

The NDP government’s speech said British Columbians had been put on a “roller-coaster ride” by the U.S. administration over the past few months, and the province must prepare for that ride to continue for the next four years.

The government plans to introduce two new laws aimed at accelerating the construction of energy and critical infrastructure to foster economic growth in the province as part of its response to Trump’s tariff threats, Cocchia said in the throne speech.

The government also promised to diversify where B.C. sells its products by strengthening relationships around the world and by breaking down trade barriers within Canada and it pledged to fast-track private-sector resource projects and build on B.C.’s strengths in technology, life sciences, and film.

The province also pledged to connect more people with a family doctor, construct new hospitals across the province, provide more affordable housing options, guarantee child care and car insurance savings, and pass new consumer-protection legislation.

The Canadian Press contributed to this report.