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Trudeau Warns Americans: You Will Pay More if Trump Dares Impose Tariffs on Canada

US President Donald Trump and Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau shakes hands during a
NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty

Outgoing left-wing Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned Thursday that American consumers will pay more if and when President Donald Trump moves to apply sweeping tariffs on products from America’s northern neighbor.

Trump told reporters in the Oval Office earlier in the day he still plans to impose tariffs on Canada and Mexico at 25 percent rates starting as soon as Feb. 1. Trump previously threatened to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China as soon as he took office but the tariffs weren’t applied on day one, as Breitbart News reported.

The president is seeking assurances from Canada and Mexico they will cooperate in protecting the U.S. border from illegal migration and fentanyl.

AP reports Trudeau talked tough and said if Trump does go forward “whether it be back on Jan. 20th, on Feb. 1st or Feb. 15th as a Valentines Day present, or on April 1st or whenever” Canada will respond with retaliatory tariffs and “prices for American consumers on just about everything will go up.”

trudeau warns americans you will pay more if trump dares impose tariffs on canada

Canada’s PM Justin Trudeau during a news conference in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. Trudeau is preparing a list of retaliatory tariffs while examining the possibility of harsher measures, such as placing export taxes on oil, uranium and potash to drive up costs for U.S. consumers and businesses in the event Trump starts an all-out trade war. (David Kawai/Bloomberg via Getty)

“We don’t think he wants that,” Trudeau, who is deeply unpopular and will soon step down, told reporters in Ottawa, adding “Everything is on the table It would be bad for Canada, but it would also be bad for American consumers.”

The tariff threat has been met with deep unease by trade-dependent Canada. Roughly 75 percent of its exports head south. In contrast, Canada accounts for a much smaller 17 percent of U.S. exports.

In dollar terms, nearly $3.6 billion Canadian dollars ($2.7 billion) worth of goods and services cross the border each day. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states.

The premier of oil-rich Alberta, Danielle Smith, said Americans in some states could pay more than a dollar per gallon more for gas if Trump puts the tariff on Canadian oil.

Nearly a quarter of the oil America consumes per day comes from Canada.

Meanwhile Canada is looking at putting retaliatory tariffs on American orange juice, some steel products and toilets if Trump follows through with his threat.

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via January 23rd 2025