Canadian officials blast Trump's tariff threat and one calls Mexico comparison an insult
Canadian officials are blasting President-elect Donald’s Trump’s threat to impose sweeping tariffs
TORONTO — Canadian officials on Tuesday blasted President-elect Donald's Trump's threat to impose sweeping tariffs, as the leader of the country's most populous province called Trump's comparison of Canada to Mexico “the most insulting thing I’ve ever heard.”
Trump has threatened to impose tariffs on products from Canada, Mexico and China as soon as he takes office in January as part of efforts to crack down on illegal immigration and drugs. He said he would impose a 25% tax on all products entering the U.S. from Canada and Mexico as one of his first executive orders.
“To compare us to Mexico is the most insulting thing I’ve ever heard from our friends and closest allies, the United States of America," Ontario Premier Doug Ford said. “I found his comments unfair. I found them insulting. It’s like a family member stabbing you right in the heart."
Ford said Canada will have no choice but to retaliate.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will convene an emergency meeting with provincial leaders on Wednesday. The Canadian dollar weakened sharply in foreign exchange markets.
Trudeau said he spoke with Trump after his threat of tariffs. “We talked about the intense and effective connections between our countries that flow back and forth. We talked about some of the challenges that we can work on together. It was a good call,” Trudeau said.
Trump made the threat Monday while railing against an influx of illegal migrants, even though apprehensions at the southern U.S. border have been near four-year lows.
Apprehension numbers at the Canadian border pale in comparison.
“We shouldn’t confuse the Mexican border with the Canadian border,”
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