Trudeau says Canada will push back on U.S. tariffs with Trump administration

PARIS, Ont. — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says Ottawa will work to convince U.S. President Donald Trump that his steel and aluminum tariffs will hurt both countries.

A senior government official said Tuesday that Trudeau spoke with U.S. Vice-President JD Vance about the impact steel tariffs would have in Ohio, which Vance previously represented in the U.S. Senate.

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Trump signed an executive order Monday to implement 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports into the United States, beginning March 12.

Trudeau and Vance are both in Paris for a global summit on AI.

Trudeau briefly spoke to reporters before a plenary at which Vance spoke and Trudeau attended.

Trudeau said his government would “be working with the American administration over the coming weeks to highlight the negative impacts on Americans and Canadians of these unacceptable tariffs.”

Trudeau added he will also be working with “international partners and friends and it comes to that, our response, of course, will be firm and clear.”

Asked whether his government would impose dollar-for-dollar reciprocal tariffs, Trudeau responded “we hope it will not come to that.”

Speaking in French, he said there have been “initial conversations” with allies. He pointed to his upcoming visit to Brussels on Wednesday where he will meet with EU leaders, and said there is “co-ordination to be done.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 11, 2024.

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press