Trudeau meets premiers to discuss U.S. tariff threat on Canada

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will meet with Canada’s premiers today to discuss U.S.-Canada relations. This meeting follows a request for urgent talks after President-elect Donald Trump threatened a 25% import tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico. The virtual meeting is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET. Trump stated he would maintain the tariffs until Canada and Mexico address illegal border crossings and drug trafficking. An emergency debate in the House of Commons addressed the tariff threat. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland emphasized Canada’s importance to the U.S. economy, while opposition leaders criticized Trudeau for not having a stronger response. Calls for diversifying trade away from the U.S. have also emerged.