As the inauguration day of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump approaches, the fervour surrounding his tariff threat is escalating with federal and provincial governments saying they’re taking action on border security.
Meanwhile, the prime minister is trading thinly-veiled barbs with the incoming U.S. leader, and provincial premiers are talking about strategic retaliatory measures to push back against tariffs.
First ministers held their second meeting on Dec. 11 to coordinate their response to the tariff threat and hear from Ottawa about its plan to bolster security at the border.
Trump said on Nov. 25 he would impose a broad 25 percent tariff on Canada and Mexico if they don’t do more to counter illegal immigration and drug smuggling at their borders.
Ottawa has said it’s prepared to respond to U.S. trade moves, while focusing on the strength of the bilateral relationship and the harm tariffs would cause on both sides of the border.
The tone from leaders after the latest meeting between provincial premiers and federal ministers was relatively more forceful than in the past, as there’s so far no sign of Trump backing away from the tariffs.
Canadian leaders have identified more specific items that they may consider targeting in response. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said after the meeting he could block energy exports to the United States.
Ford expanded on his threat on Dec. 12, calling it a “last resort.”
“We power 1.5 million homes, and if they put on tariffs, it’s going to be unaffordable for Americans to buy electricity, just like if they put tariffs on the 4.3 million barrels of oil that Alberta’s shipping down to the U.S.,” Ford said during a press conference in Queen’s Park.
Trump campaigned on promises to boost the economy and increase oil production to bring down the cost of living. Ford said tariffs on Canadian oil would increase the price of a gallon of gas in the United States by $1.
“I don’t think that President-elect Trump wants that to happen. We’re sending a message to the U.S.,” he said.
Trump, speaking to CNBC later that day, said it’s “fine” if Ontario takes this approach, given the U.S. is “subsidizing” Canada.
Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland would not confirm after the first ministers’ meeting whether her government has considered cutting energy exports to the U.S.
“The prime minister was clear in Halifax on Monday that Canada, of course, would respond to unjustified tariffs,” Freeland said, adding some unspecified premiers “proactively” named critical minerals and metals as goods being exported by the U.S. which could be used to retaliate. “Obviously, other ideas were discussed as well,” she said.
Public Jabs
The amped-up warnings from the Canadian side have followed feisty public communications between Trump and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.Although Trudeau did not address the matter directly, he has subtly criticized Trump in two recent public speeches. Trudeau told the Halifax Chamber of Commerce on Dec. 9 that Canada would retaliate against the tariffs and alluded to unspecified countries making poor electoral choices.
“I think there’s a number of folks in different countries, and I won’t point out any particular one, where folks are going to be wondering about the choice they maybe made in elections,” he said.
Trump won against U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris in the Nov. 5 presidential election.
Trudeau commented more directly on the U.S. election results on Dec. 11, saying Harris’s defeat was a setback for women.
After the first ministers’ meeting on Dec. 11, Ford said these comments were “not helpful whatsoever” and they were “brought up a couple times” to Trudeau. Ford added he’s “sure” the prime minister “got the message loud and clear.”
“Donald Trump was elected democratically. If you like him or you don’t like him, that’s not our issue,” said Ford.
What About the Border?
The current talk about retaliatory measures is a marked departure from the initial response to Trump’s tariff threat when the focus was more on how to bolster border security.Ottawa is still working on its plan and Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc said on Dec. 11 it will incorporate “many of the positive suggestions” made by provincial premiers.
“Obviously our priority will be to share details of this plan with the incoming Trump administration and with Canadians in the coming days,” LeBlanc said after the first ministers’ meeting.
So far, it is known the federal government is using a “national emergency” prerogative to fast-track the purchase of border surveillance equipment, such as drones and sensors. The dollar figure attached to this spending will likely be disclosed when Freeland tables her Fall Economic Statement on Dec. 16.
LeBlanc said boosting border security may require passing new legislation. Concerns have been raised by the border agents union that the Canada Border Services Agency is being hamstrung by its mandate limiting its jurisdiction to ports of entry. The RCMP is responsible for covering the border between the ports.
“We have legislation that allows the RCMP and CBSA to do the work that they’ve done for decades, but we recognize that there is a moment where we can make increased investments in both the RCMP and CBSA, some of it may require legislative authorities,” said LeBlanc.
“There are a number of exciting moments coming up in the next few days where some of that may be included,” he said.
Provinces have taken varied approaches to the border. Ford said he’s open to the Ontario Provincial Police providing surge capacity support, while noting that border protection is a federal responsibility.
“By establishing this new team of sheriffs at our southern border, we are actively working to address security concerns and stop the criminals whose activities are destroying lives on both sides of the border,” she said in a press conference.
