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U.S. President Donald Trump is threatening to impose a 100 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods entering the United States if Canada “makes a deal with China” — a forceful message that comes days after Prime Minister Mark Carney delivered a speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, widely viewed as pushback on U.S. actions.
Trump did not specifiy what a “deal” means in his social media post. Last week, Canada reached an agreement with China to allow 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles into the market at a lowered tariff rate of 6.1 per cent in exchange for China lowering tariffs on Canadian canola.
“If Governor Carney thinks is he going to make Canada a ‘Drop Off Port’ for China to send goods and products into the United States, he is sorely mistaken,” the U.S. president wrote in his post.
“China will eat Canada alive, completely devour it, including the destruction of their businesses, social fabric, and general way of life,” Trump said.
The president’s social media post is a departure from his initial comments after Canada struck the agreement with the Chinese government. He appeared unfazed and said last week the agreement is a “good thing.”
“That’s what [Carney] should be doing. It’s a good thing for him to sign a trade deal. If you can get a deal with China, you should do that,” Trump told reporters at the White House at the time.
Carney has not taken media questions since returning to Canada from his trip to China, Qatar and Davos — and in a week where he twice spoke out forcefully against Trump.
The prime minister was scheduled to take reporters’ questions after two days of meetings with his front benches in Quebec City — standard fare at these retreats. But moments before Carney was expected to appear, his news conference was cancelled.
Earlier this week, Carney was lauded by global leaders for his speech at the World Economic Forum in Davos — where he said “American hegemony” and “great powers” are using economic integration as “weapons.”
“The old order is not coming back,” he said. “We should not mourn it. Nostalgia is not a strategy. But from the fracture, we can build something better, stronger and more just.”
In his own speech on Wednesday, Trump said that “Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.”
U.S. President Donald Trump shot back at Prime Minister Mark Carney’s comments at the World Economic Forum about a new way forward for countries seeking distance from U.S. influence. Andrew Chang breaks down key moments from both leaders’ speeches, highlighting shifts in both Canada’s global strategy and the deteriorating relationship between two longtime allies. Images provided by The Canadian Press, Reuters and Getty Images
U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick criticized Canada for “complaining” about its treatment by the Trump administration while enjoying the “second-best” trade deal of any country in the world with the U.S.
“Give me a break, they have the second-best deal in the world and all I gotta do is listen to this guy whine and complain,” Lutnick said during a media interview in Davos.
Trump later announced he was withdrawing an invitation for Carney to join his “Board of Peace” initiative for Gaza.
Source: cbc
