Chrystia Freeland says Canada should target Elon Musk’s Tesla in a tariff fight

OTTAWA — Liberal leadership hopeful Chrystia Freeland says Canada should target Teslas and U.S. alcohol as part of its tariff retaliation package should U.S. President Donald Trump made good on his trade threats.

In an interview with The Canadian Press, Freeland says there should be a 100 per cent tariff on all U.S. wine, beer and spirits, and on all Teslas — and make sure Wisconsin dairy farmers feel the pinch as well.

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The move would target Tesla CEO Elon Musk and other political power brokers and lobby groups.

Freeland says Canada needs to give Trump’s closest supporters a wake-up call with the message that if you hit Canada, it will hit back — and it will hurt.

Tesla’s chief financial officer warned on an earnings call earlier this week that tariffs could hurt the company’s profitability.

Trump suggested on Thursday that he still plans to go ahead with his plan to slap Canada and Mexico with 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs on Saturday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 31, 2025.

Kyle Duggan, The Canadian Press