Premiers Urge Ottawa to Address Border Security in Wake of Trump’s 25 Percent Tariff Pledge

Ontario Premier Doug Ford speaks to reporters as Canada's premiers hold a press conference to close the Council of the Federation meetings in Halifax on July 17, 2024. The Canadian Press/Darren Calabrese

Canada’s premiers are calling on Ottawa to tighten border security after U.S. President-elect Donald Trump threatened to slap a 25 percent tariff on Canadian goods if illegal immigration isn’t reined in.

Trump said both Canada and Mexico have failed to address the problem of illegal immigration through their borders into the United States.

“On January 20th, as one of my many first Executive Orders, I will sign all necessary documents to charge Mexico and Canada a 25% Tariff on ALL products coming into the United States,” the president-elect said in a Nov. 25 post on the Truth Social platform.

“Both Mexico and Canada have the absolute right and power to easily solve this long simmering problem. We hereby demand that they use this power, and until such time that they do, it is time for them to pay a very big price!”

Several Canadian premiers took to social media after Trump’s post to urge the federal government to address the country’s border security issues. They also penned a joint letter asking to meet with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “as soon as possible” to discuss the Canada-U.S. relationship.

Trudeau told reporters he has set aside time to meet with Canada’s premiers to discuss border security and the potential tariff.

“One of the really important things is that we be all pulling together on this. The Team Canada approach is what works,” Trudeau said during a Nov. 26 media scrum. “There’s work to do, but we know how to do it.”

Ontario Premier Doug Ford confirmed during a morning press conference that the meeting with Trudeau has been set for Nov. 27.

Ford said the meeting was imperative in light of the “serious” threat issued by Trump.

“You cannot ignore the threat that we received last night,” Ford said  during his Nov. 26 press conference. “It’s the biggest threat we’ve ever seen … from a U.S. administration.”

Ford said the 25 percent tariff would jeopardize jobs on both sides of the border and called on Ottawa to “take the situation at our border seriously,” adding that “one illegal going across the border, back and forth is one too many illegal.”

“We need a Team Canada approach and response—and we need it now,” Ford said in a post on X in response to Trump’s social media remarks.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said the Trump administration has “valid concerns related to illegal activities” at the Canada-U.S. border.

“Fortunately, the vast majority of Alberta’s energy exports to the U.S. are delivered through secure and safe pipelines which do not in any way contribute to these illegal activities at the border,” Smith said on social media platform X.

“We are calling on the federal government to work with the incoming administration to resolve these issues immediately, thereby avoiding any unnecessary tariffs on Canadian exports to the U.S.”

Quebec Premier François Legault said the promised tariff would hurt the economy in his province and in Canada as a whole, adding that Ottawa must make border security a top priority.

“We must do everything possible to avoid 25 percent tariffs on all products exported to the United States,” he said in a social media post. “I offer the full cooperation of the Quebec government to Prime Minister Trudeau.”

British Columbia Premier David Eby said the tariffs proposed by Trump “would hurt Canadians and Americans alike.”

“Canadians must stand united,” Eby said on X. “Ottawa must respond with strength.”

Tariffs Pledge

Trump had also pointed a finger at Canada for the increase in America’s illegal drug supply.

“Thousands of people are pouring through Mexico and Canada, bringing Crime and Drugs at levels never seen before,” he wrote in his post.

“This Tariff will remain in effect until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!”

Ford acknowledged that illegal drug flow is an issue, but said 24 times more drugs flows into the U.S. from Mexico.

“I want to emphasize to compare us to Mexico is the most insulting thing I’ve ever heard,” Ford said, adding that the flow of illegal guns and drugs into Canada from the U.S. has long been an issue.

Trumps Nov. 25 social media posts are not the first time he has threatened to increase tariffs on imports into the United States. He was vocal about the issue on the campaign trail prior to winning the Nov. 5 election.

And while the U.S. southern border was his main focus, he also promised an immigration crackdown on the northern border. 

Trump’s nominee for Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, has said tariffs could be used as leverage to galvanize countries into action.

Trade Deal

Canada’s premiers are also pushing the federal government to negotiate a bilateral trade deal with the United States.

The Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) is up for review in 2026, but Trump has vowed to invoke the deal’s six-year review clause upon his return to Washington.

The premiers during a Council of the Federation meeting last month, said now is the time to pursue separate deals with the U.S. and Mexico.

Ford, the current chair of the premier’s federation, has previously said the federal government should abandon the three-country deal with Mexico if it refuses to impose tariffs on Chinese goods.

He has previously accused Mexico of being a “backdoor” for Chinese imports, and has urged the country’s government to align with Canadian and U.S. tariffs on Chinese goods.

“Free trade needs to be fair,” he said in a Nov. 12 social media post.

He emphasized that point again during his Nov. 26 press conference.

“We need to do a bilateral trade deal with the US, and a separate one with Mexico,” Ford said.

Ontario currently imports $36.5 billion in Mexican goods but exports only $3.5 billion, he said.

Trade between the U.S. and Canada is much more evenly split, he said, adding that 17 states “call Ontario and Canada their No. 1 customer” while 11 additional states call the country their second-largest trading partner.

“We are stronger together at the end of the day,” Ford said. “There’s no two closer allies … than Canada and the U.S.”