Justin Trudeau, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Wednesday that Donald Trump’s comments about annexing Canada were a distraction tactic to divert attention from his proposed tariffs.
Trump has said he would impose 25% tariffs for all Canadian imports unless Ottawa improves border security measures, and stated on Tuesday that he is considering using economic force to buy Canada.
Trudeau, when asked by CNN about Trump’s remarks, said: “I think what is happening here is that President Trump, who has a great deal of skill as a negotiator is distracting people with this conversation.”
He said that if Trump moves forward with these tariffs, “Oil, gas, electricity, steel, and aluminum as well as lumber and concrete (and everything else) the American consumer buys from Canada will suddenly become more expensive.”
Trudeau reiterated on CNN that Ottawa will take countermeasures if Trump follows through with his threat. This week, Trudeau said that there was “no snowball’s chance in hell of Canada becoming part of the United States.”
Trudeau recalled that during a trade dispute with the United States in 2018, Canada imposed tariffs on Heinz ketchup and other products such as playing cards, bourbon and Harley Davidson motorbikes – things “that would harm American workers.”
He said: “But that would raise prices for Canadians, and hurt our closest trading partner.”