Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau flew to Florida to meet with President-elect Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago club after Trump threatened to impose tariffs on Canadian products. Trudeau is set to have dinner with Trump in an effort to resolve the issue. Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tax on all products from Canada and Mexico if they don’t stop what he calls the flow of drugs and migrants across borders. Despite past tensions between the two leaders, ties between the countries remain strong.
Trudeau expressed his intention to have constructive conversations with Trump to keep moving forward on the right track for all Canadians. Trump’s tariff threat could potentially harm both Canadian and American citizens and damage business and industry. Canadian officials believe lumping Canada in with Mexico is unfair and are ready to make new investments in border security.
In the past, when Trump imposed higher tariffs, other countries responded with retaliatory tariffs. Canada is already preparing for potential retaliatory tariffs on U.S. items if Trump goes through with his threat. Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states, and they provide a significant amount of oil, electricity, and critical minerals to the U.S. Canada is highly trade-dependent, with 77% of its exports going to the U.S. Experts suggest that Canada should be cautious in dealing with Trump’s impulsive behavior and focus on what will be most beneficial in the long term.
Source
Photo credit www.tampabay.com
