“Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, is set to engage in discussions with incoming US President Donald Trump this Friday at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, as per reports from CBC News in Canada. This meeting comes in response to the potential threat of Trump imposing taxes on goods imported from Canada.
According to anonymous senior sources, Trudeau will share a meal with Trump on Friday evening at Mar-a-Lago. These sources, who requested to remain unnamed due to the sensitive nature of the visit, revealed that the meeting was initiated by Canadian officials, CBC News reported.
On Friday, Trudeau landed at Palm Beach International Airport around 5:30 p.m. local time. Earlier that day, he warned about the repercussions of Trump’s proposed comprehensive tariffs on Canadian goods, stating that such actions would ultimately hurt American businesses and increase prices for US consumers.
Trump has previously suggested a plan to levy a 25% tax on all goods entering the US from Canada and Mexico. He cited the need to curb the inflow of drugs and migrants across the US borders as the reason for this move.
During a press conference in Prince Edward Island, Atlantic Canada, Trudeau expressed his belief that Trump would follow through on his threats. He emphasized that such actions would not only harm Canadians, who have a strong working relationship with the US, but also negatively impact American industries and consumers.
Trudeau noted that Trump was elected on the promise of reducing grocery costs, but his proposed 25% tax hike on a variety of goods, including Prince Edward Island’s potatoes, contradicts this promise. He further pointed out that such tariffs could jeopardize the North American trade agreement that was successfully renegotiated during Trump’s first term.
Despite the complexities, Trudeau remains optimistic about the possibility of cooperative work with the US, as they have done in the past. He also pointed out the disparity between the numbers of illegal migrants at the Canadian and Mexican borders, stating that the Canadian situation is much less severe.
Canadian officials have criticized the lumping together of Canada and Mexico in Trump’s tariff threats, but they are prepared to make new investments in border security. Trudeau is confident that through constructive conversations with Trump, they can address these concerns and move forward in a manner that benefits all Canadians.
On the other hand, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her confidence that a tariff war with the US can be avoided. This follows Trump’s recent social media post, stating that Sheinbaum has agreed to halt unauthorized migration across the US border.
The imposition of higher tariffs during Trump’s first term led to other countries retaliating with their own tariffs. In 2018, Canada announced new duties against the US in response to new taxes on Canadian steel and aluminum.
Canada is the leading export destination for 36 US states, with nearly $2.7 billion worth of goods and services crossing the border daily. Canada is also the largest foreign supplier of steel, aluminum, and uranium to the US and has a significant amount of critical minerals and metals that the Pentagon is keen on investing in for national security.”
