Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has reportedly promised to tighten Canada-US border control. US President-elect Donald Trump had warned of huge tariffs on Canadian imports unless Ottawa curbed illegal border crossings and drug trade.
Canada’s ambassador to the US Kirsten Hillman said Trudeau convinced Trump and his key aides it was unfair to lump Canada with Mexico. Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc promised a “visible and muscular way” of border control.
Trump announced on Monday his intention to implement a 25% tariff on all products from Canada and Mexico through an executive order on his first day in office, citing concerns about illegal immigration and drug trafficking across borders.Trudeau met with Trump Friday over dinner at the latter's South Florida club at Mar-a-Lago, and reportedly discussed the US President-elect's “25% Tariff on ALL products” from Canada and Mexico announcement on Truth Social last week.
The tariffs are necessary to pressure Canada and Mexico to address the unprecedented flow of illegal immigrants and drugs, particularly fentanyl, into the United States, and these countries have the power to easily solve this long-simmering problem.
The proposed tariffs would not only harm Canadian workers and industries but would also raise prices for American consumers and hurt American businesses, while potentially violating existing trade agreements and damaging the strong economic partnership between the two nations.