WASHINGTON — A prime White Home adviser mentioned Canada changing into the 51st state stays a consideration following a gathering with premiers the place the Canadian leaders had been cautioned to take U.S. President Donald Trump at his phrase.
WASHINGTON — A prime White Home adviser mentioned Canada changing into the 51st state stays a consideration following a gathering with premiers the place the Canadian leaders had been cautioned to take U.S. President Donald Trump at his phrase.
The last-minute assembly with James Blair, deputy chief of employees, and Sergio Gor, director of the presidential personnel workplace, offered a possibility for premiers to make Canada’s case on to prime Trump aides.
“They dedicated to share our message of willingness to have interaction and to work on key areas of settlement, and that Canada would by no means be the 51st state,” mentioned British Columbia Premier David Eby as he left the White Home on Wednesday.
Blair posted on social media that the assembly with the premiers was nice. However, he mentioned, “we by no means agreed that Canada wouldn’t be the 51st state. We solely agreed to share Premier Eby’s feedback.”
“Additional, we mentioned one of the simplest ways to grasp President Trump’s place is to take what he says at face worth,” Blair mentioned
All 13 premiers descended on the US capital this week for the primary time ever. The diplomatic push displays rising alarm amongst Canadians about Trump’s unpredictable tariff technique.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford mentioned Wednesday’s assembly was “very constructive.” Premiers had been suggested to proceed conversations after key members are sworn in, together with the president’s nominee to run the Commerce Division, Howard Lutnick, and Trump’s choose for prime commerce negotiator, Jamieson Greer.
“We’re grateful. We listened. We communicated and we sit up for additional conversations,” Ford mentioned.
Trump returned to the White Home lower than a month in the past with a tariff agenda that might quickly realign world commerce. Canada has been unable to flee the geopolitical upheaval triggered by its closest neighbour and largest buying and selling companion.
Trump signed an order Monday that may impose 25 per cent tariffs on all metal and aluminum imports, together with imports from Canada, on March 12. These duties may come on prime of across-the-board tariffs on all Canadian imports, with a decrease 10 per cent levy on Canadian vitality, which had been delayed till no less than March 4.
A White Home official confirmed that if each rounds of tariffs are carried out, the duties would stack on prime of one another. That will imply a tariff of as much as 50 per cent on Canadian metal and aluminum exports to the U.S.
Trump advised reporters within the Oval Workplace Wednesday that metal and aluminum tariffs could improve additional and claimed the duties will “degree the enjoying area.”
The president additionally indicated that an govt order for “reciprocal tariffs” will come this week. That will require that U.S. tariffs on imports match the tax charges charged by different international locations.
Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc was additionally in Washington Wednesday, the place he was set to fulfill Lutnick and Trump’s financial coverage adviser Kevin Hassett on the White Home. LeBlanc insisted there’s nonetheless time to speak Trump out of launching a commerce struggle.
LeBlanc first met Lutnick in November at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida after he and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau travelled there for a dinner with the president-elect only a few days after he made his preliminary tariff menace.
“I am not pessimistic,” LeBlanc advised reporters forward of the assembly. “I am optimistic by nature. I am inspired by the conversations we have had with Mr. Lutnick.”
Canada has promised to retaliate in variety if Trump strikes on his promise of tariffs, and laid out a listing of merchandise that may be focused after the president signed his preliminary govt order on duties on Feb. 1.
Ottawa put these retaliatory tariffs on maintain two days later when Trump agreed to pause his tariff menace for a month, and after Trudeau outlined Canada’s plan to ramp up border safety and appoint a fentanyl czar.
LeBlanc mentioned Ottawa is not going to make the primary transfer in a tariff struggle as a result of it isn’t a battle Canada needs.
Trudeau — talking in Brussels, the place he was assembly with European Union leaders — mentioned there’s a third menace of much more tariffs touchdown April 1 popping out of the manager order Trump signed on inauguration day financial and commerce imbalances between the 2 international locations.
Trump has additionally floated the thought of taxing Canadian auto imports at between 50 and 100 per cent.
Provincial and territorial leaders remained optimistic Wednesday that diplomatic efforts can nonetheless push Trump away from implementing duties whilst snowstorm forecasts compelled Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King and Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston to go house early.
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew mentioned it isn’t a time to be issuing ultimatums and as an alternative known as the premiers’ mission in Washington a “appeal offensive.”
“The aim of the journey right here is diplomacy,” Kinew mentioned. “It is the nice and cozy and hearty handshake, making the case that the Canadian-American friendship has been one of the best on the planet for many years and many years.”
The premiers met with Republican and Democrat lawmakers earlier than heading to the White Home. New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt mentioned they defined the adverse impacts tariffs could have on each Canadians and People.
“We have seen senators really feel instantly the way it’s impacting their constituents they usually have loads of worry in regards to the inflation and the value impacts to return, ought to these tariffs come to cross,” Holt mentioned.
Specialists have mentioned that Trump’s tariff threats are doubtless a negotiating tactic meant to rattle Canada and Mexico forward of a 2026 overview of the trilateral continental commerce pact.
The Canada-U.S.-Mexico Settlement was negotiated to exchange the North American Free Commerce Settlement through the first Trump administration.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith mentioned she believed the president when he mentioned the primary tariff threats had been about border safety and fentanyl, and she or he thinks Canada’s actions ought to fulfill Trump’s considerations.
“I think diplomacy is working,” Smith mentioned. “I think that the fact that we got a 30-day reprieve was because we agreed to work on the cross-border problem of fentanyl.”
Monday’s tariff order was in regards to the commerce settlement, Smith mentioned. She mentioned Canada wants a federal election quickly in order that it has a mandate to return to the negotiating desk.
“What I’ve seen from this president is he’s ready to make a deal,” Smith mentioned.
— With information from The Related Press
This report by The Canadian Press was first printed Feb. 12, 2025.
Kelly Geraldine Malone, The Canadian Press
