A three-day conference was recently held to address concerns related to President Trump’s potential tariff changes, and it shed light on the differing viewpoints and regional disparities among the heads of Canada’s provinces and territories. These leaders seized the opportunity to voice their unanimous reproach against President Trump’s perceived attempts to instigate a trade conflict. But in spite of this strong collective sentiment, they struggled to reach a consensus on how Canada should respond to the potential economic fallout, revealing deep-seated regional disagreements that have long characterized the country.
Post their discussion with Prime Minister Mark Carney, uncertainty and division persisted among the 13 premiers around any further countermeasures against the United States, if President Trump decides to impose substantial tariffs on Canadian exports come August 1st. Carney, in the absence of a concrete plan, is proposing that the nation swiftly engages in significant infrastructure projects such as oil pipelines in order to counterbalance any trade reduction with the U.S.
The gathering culminated with Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario and event host, proudly asserting the political leaders’ unity in defiance of Trump’s potentially impactful tariff threat, labeling it ‘a united team Canada approach.’ Ford was continuously in favor of retaliation if President Trump moves forward with his threatening tariff plans, demonstrating a strength that he believes would deter Trump’s actions.
Ontario, Doug Ford’s province, bases its economy primarily on the automobile and steel production industries, which are currently most vulnerable to Trump’s existing tariffs. This probably strengthens Ford’s determination to counteract. Yet, multiple premiers seem to lack his zeal to heightens the conflict surrounding trades.
Scott Moe, the premier of Saskatchewan, voiced his concerns that the tariffs Canada currently imposes on U.S. steel, a reaction to Trump’s previous actions, are inadvertently increasing the expenses of Saskatchewan-grown grain farmers. Moe effectually reminded that tariffs imposed by the U.S. President would financially burden American families and businesses, and retaliatory tariffs would unfortunately mirror these harmful effects on Saskatchewan families and others across Canada.
Discussions during the conference were generally centered on Prime Minister Carney’s vision of making Canada an ‘energy superpower’ with prompt construction of large-scale infrastructure projects. He aims for these to include ventures like oil and gas pipelines, nuclear power plants, expanded power grids, and more, all intended to bolster Canada’s domestic economy and reduce its trade dependency on the U.S.
Prime Minister Carney, who enjoys the support of the Conservative Party, acted swiftly and passed a law to expedite approvals of such large projects; Ford mimicked this action in Ontario. However, these laws have faced legal challenges from indigenous groups who argue they infringe on their land rights, and environmentalists who worry about rushed development.
Nevertheless, as the premiers’ meeting moved into its second day, Ford, Moe, and Alberta premier Danielle Smith inked a pact expressing their commitment to bring fresh oil pipelines to both the Pacific Coast of Canada and Ontario. However, there was a lingering uncertainty surrounding the worth of their agreement as neither British Columbia (the province contiguous with the Pacific) nor Manitoba, located between Saskatchewan and Ontario, agreed to be a part of the deal.
Doubts loomed as David Eby, the premier of British Columbia, reminded that the incumbent federal government under predecessor, Justin Trudeau, went through a similar experience. It had purchased and expanded an oil pipeline from Alberta to a nearby port in Vancouver but struggled to privatize it. Eby also highlighted the evident lack of enthusiasm from pipeline or energy companies to construct another oil pipeline to the coast.
Casting further cloud over the pipeline endeavor is the simple fact that Alberta premier Smith’s heavily promoted pipeline project lacks proponents, outlined projects, and importantly, private-sector funding. Premier Eby, while not outright dismissive, reticently suggested conversations could be engaged once these initial barriers were surmounted.
Adding to the uncertain voices, Wab Kinew, Manitoba’s premier, expressed his apprehensions against rush-announcing large projects that would inevitably infringe upon Indigenous peoples’ territories. Articulating his approach, he emphasized the importance of winning over the Indigenous nations first, doing all the groundwork and building consent at the onset, and then unveiling the project to the public.
The post Unilateral Support For Trump As Canada Quarrels Over Tariffs appeared first on Real News Now.
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