Canada

In Canada’s arsenal of possible responses to a Trump tariff, the nuclear option is the threat to withhold, reduce or place export tariffs on Canadian energy.

Already, the mere suggestion of such a tactic has caused a split between the government of Alberta, on one side, and the governments of Canada and all other provinces on the other.

Tariffs on imports from the U.S. have the potential to cause pain to certain industries and regions, but Prime Minister Justin Trudeau himself has acknowledged that the effect of Canada’s import tariffs would be diluted by the size of the U.S. population and economy.

The Trump tariffs are coming Monday and Canada simply isn’t ready.

We don’t know the full extent of the tariffs, such as whether there will be a carve out for oil, but barring a miracle, we should expect sweeping measures to be imposed on Canadian imports by early Monday afternoon.

As Albertans will testify after experiencing the Tory dynasty and the last couple of UCP premiers, conservatives are not all built the same.

Jason Kenney took Alberta in directions past Progressive Conservative leaders never dared to, while Danielle Smith rose to leadership by repudiating Kenney’s COVID management — and he did his share of rebuking her Sovereignty Act idea.

WASHINGTON—Days before his inauguration, President-elect Donald Trump made clear in a two-hour private meeting with Senate Republicans that he wouldn’t wait on them to start implementing his biggest policy priorities: overhauling the immigration system and dramatically reshaping the country’s relationship with its economic allies and adversaries.

With the experience of governing and a better knowledge of the levers of power, Trump has drafted expansive plans for tariffs and border restrictions, the centerpieces of his 2024 campaign. He has already prepared roughly 100 executive orders, Trump told lawmakers in the meeting, and said he would press the limits of his presidential authority at times to go it alone on those issues, according to people who attended.

Trump’s emphasis on immigration and trade reforms—the North Stars of his “America First” worldview—catapulted him to the presidency in 2016 and drove his historic return to the White House in the latest election. It sustained his fervent base of supporters over the past four years after he was defeated by President Biden in 2020 and admonished by many in his party over his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

A recent poll shows a staggering 43% of Canadians aged 18 to 34 would vote to be American if they were guaranteed citizenship and had their assets converted to US dollars.

Across all age groups, 30% of Canadians would consider voting to join the US with the same caveats.

I have to ask – Which Canadians? Trudeau’s migrants? Whoever I can’t blame them.

h/t Mauser

The Trudeau government is planning a first round of counter-tariffs that could be unveiled as soon as incoming U.S. president Donald Trump is sworn in on Monday, Radio-Canada has confirmed.

The counter-tariffs would apply to $37 billion in goods that would be less harmful to the Canadian economy.

Trump has threatened to levy a 25 per cent across-the-board tariff on Canadian goods. Experts and lawmakers have warned such a move would be devastating for the Canadian economy.

The Canadian government is also preparing additional retaliatory tariffs that would cover up to $110 billion, depending on the Trump administration’s actions. Those could potentially be more damaging to the Canadian economy.

Joly threatens a trade war on CNN. At this point one has to assume our Government is sabotaging us on purpose. pic.twitter.com/v4WKuJoeQt

— Ryan Gerritsen (@ryangerritsen) January 17, 2025

Food for thought … Good thread

Premier Danielle Smith just met with Donald Trump.

And I can't remember a time when a Canadian Premier met with a U.S. President.

Something's happening behind the scenes that we aren't seeing.

Here's what's really going on… pic.twitter.com/sYeJUeKCcw

— Shaun Newman Podcast (@SNewmanPodcast) January 16, 2025

h/t Mauser and XC