WASHINGTON—Canada is on a full-court diplomatic press against U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
For the first time in history all 13 provincial and territorial leaders are in the American capital at the same time to warn U.S. lawmakers that Trump’s levies will be bad for the economies of both nations.
The subnational leaders on Tuesday secured an afternoon meeting at the White House with “senior advisers” to Trump.
It was not immediately clear who the premiers would see, but they were not expected to meet the president.
Federal Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc, here to meet with Howard Lutnick, the president’s commerce secretary, and Kevin Hassett, Trump’s top economic adviser, insisted diplomacy is working.
”(Lutnick) indicated that this would be a good week to continue our conversation around border security in the fight against fentanyl,” LeBlanc said
“We think we’ve made a lot of progress on that issue. We have absolutely no daylight between ourselves and the American administration in terms of fighting against fentanyl, dealing with precursor chemicals that come from China, transnational organized crime, border integrity,” said LeBlanc.
“So I’m not pessimistic. I am optimistic by nature,” he said after a breakfast meeting with the premiers.
On a snowy day in Washington, LeBlanc poured cold water on the idea of pre-emptive tariffs to counter Trump’s threatened 25 per cent levies on all Canadian imports to the U.S.
“No, we’re not looking to go ahead of the United States in some kind of tariffs. We don’t think tariffs are the way to proceed,” he stressed.
But some of premiers here as part of the Council of the Federation lobbying mission say it is necessary to be ready to retaliate given Trump’s 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminum that could take effect next month.
Quebec Premier François Legault said “retaliation must be done if and only if there are tariffs that are really charged.”
“So far, it won’t be done before March 4. But we have to prepare ourselves. We already have an enhanced list of counter tariffs, I think you should consider also putting exportation tariff on products like aluminum, where they really need us,” said Legault.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith appealed for calm.
“I think diplomacy is working. The fact that we got a 30-day reprieve was because we agreed to work on the cross-border problem of fentanyl,” noted Smith.
“I was pleased to see the federal government announce the fentanyl czar, and my administration has already been in touch with him,” she said.
“What I’ve seen from this president is that he is prepared to make a deal. We’ve made a deal on that. I think we can make a deal on steel and aluminum by making very much the same argument that I’m making on energy and critical minerals,” added the Albertan.
“We’ve won the argument that those raw materials are essential to American success. It comes in, it makes value-added products, it creates good American jobs, it creates good American products that we buy back. Same thing for aluminum. They just do not make enough for their defence industry, their auto industry and their critical needs,” she said.
“So I think aluminum can make the very same argument and on steel, we buy as much steel product from them as they buy.”
Ontario’s Doug Ford, here on the first of two diplomatic trips during the Feb. 27 provincial election, said the premiers have to show the Maple Leaf flag.
“What success looks like is zero tariffs. We’re their largest trading partner and their number one customer and I’m not too sure that they fully understand the impact on both countries,” said Ford, the Progressive Conservative leader whose trip has been criticized by Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie and NDP Leader Marit Stiles.
“Interest rates will go up. Plants will be closed on both sides of the border. And the more we communicate, the better it is. We’re down here to listen to our U.S. colleagues and we’re down here to communicate with the U.S. colleagues and business people on both sides of the border, and we have to make sure that we communicate how important it is to be stronger together,” he said.
Kirsten Hillman, Canada’s ambassador to the U.S., said it useful to have so many Canadian political leaders in D.C. at once.
“It’s good that the premiers are all here. This is the first time in history that all 13 provincial and territorial leaders have been in Washington at the same time,” said Hillman.
“Our job is to demonstrate in as much granularity as possible — across all regions of this country — what the (Canadian) relationship with the United States means for Americans,” she said.
“So what benefits they get from it … in order … to change the benefit calculation of the White House and the president with regards to the imposition of those tariffs.”
