Premiers will meet today to plan Canada’s response to Trump’s tariffs threat including a trade mission to Washington, DC.
Premier David Eby says tariffs will hurt Americans and Canadians alike.
“Canada, including British Columbia, provides things the United States can’t get anywhere else,” said Premier Eby.
“The Teck smelter in Trail provides a critical mineral that is required for things like night vision goggles and other electronic devices that China just recently restricted and it’s no longer exporting to the United States.”
“If you don’t get it from Trail and you don’t get it from China, you don’t get it. And so, the reality is we are very closely tied, and we prosper by working together and so delivering that message is very key.”
“Canadians are proud. I’m proud to be Canadian. We are not becoming the 51st state and I think that one of the recognitions of both Canadians and Americans is that we are different places, we have different priorities and yet we’re good neighbors and friends and many cases family and that there’s no benefit that comes from hurting both sides of the border with the proposal that’s been put forward.”
On a local level, Premier Eby says the BC Government is continuing to work with employers and businesses through this process and to help adopt the realities of what could come.
“Our response will have three key components. One is to support federal government discussions and evaluations of retaliatory tariffs, one part around ensuring that our province, our economy, is adapting to the new realities through expedited permitting, through necessary response work that we were already initiating in response to forestry and the impacts on that sector, as well as permitting times to make sure that we’re adapting, and then finally diversifying our trade partners, making sure that we’re in a position to respond to replace U.S. customers that we may lose for our exports as a result of the tariffs.” said Eby.
With less than two weeks out from Trump taking office and the resignation of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Eby says the country will be looking to the federal government to play their role in nation-to-nation discussions.
“These tariffs are totally unjustified. We can address the issues of the border without the tariffs. It makes no sense to punish both Americans and Canadians to address that issue. We can do it together.”
Premier Eby will join Premiers from across Canada in Washing DC on January 20 for the inauguration and to plead their case to the American decision makers.
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