Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has warned of an “immediate and extremely strong response” if the United States proceeds with its planned tariffs on Canada.
Speaking to the media on Friday, Trudeau said, “We will continue to do that work and do everything necessary to avoid these tariffs coming in. But, like I said, if on Tuesday there are unjustified tariffs brought in on Canada, we will have an immediate and extremely strong response, as Canadians expect.”
The warning comes amid escalating trade tensions between the two countries.
US President Donald Trump has accused Canada and Mexico of facilitating the smuggling of illicit drugs into the United States. In response, the Trump administration has proposed tariffs on both nations, set to take effect from March 4.
“Drugs are still pouring into our country from Mexico and Canada at very high and unacceptable levels. A large percentage of these drugs, much of them in the form of fentanyl, are made in and supplied by China. More than 100,000 people died last year due to the distribution of these dangerous and highly addictive poisons,” Trump had said.
Trump has vowed to curb the flow of illicit drugs, particularly fentanyl, into the US. “Millions of people have died over the last two decades. The families of the victims are devastated and, in many instances, virtually destroyed. We cannot allow this scourge to continue to harm the USA, and therefore, until it stops or is seriously limited, the proposed tariffs scheduled to go into effect on 4 March will, indeed, go into effect as scheduled,” he stated.
Additionally, the US has indicated that reciprocal tariffs will remain in place starting April 2.
Trudeau underscored the collective effort of the Canadian government in addressing the issue. “The first thing on tariffs is to emphasise that our government—and indeed all of Team Canada, including premiers, business leaders, and community leaders—are focused on one thing: ensuring that there are no tariffs imposed on Canada come Tuesday and in the weeks that follow,” he said.
He acknowledged that the proposed tariffs are linked to the fentanyl crisis in the US but stressed that Canada is also tackling the issue.
“For months, I’ve been emphasising that less than one per cent of the fentanyl entering the US comes from Canada. However, we recognise that even that small percentage should be reduced. That’s why we’ve invested USD 1.3 billion to enhance our border security, including Black Hawk helicopters, drones, and 10,000 personnel patrolling our borders to ensure the safety of both Canadians and Americans,” he said.
Trudeau further asserted, “Canada is not the source of the issues faced by the United States.”
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