Trudeau government vows to increase border security to try to stave off 25% tariff from Trump

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is promising to bolster security at the Canada-US border after President-elect Donald Trump demanded he do so or face a 25 percent tariff on all Canadian products. Trudeau held an emergency meeting Wednesday with Canada’s premiers to develop what he calls a “Team Canada” response to the tariff threat, The Toronto Star reported.

But Official Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre said Trudeau needs a “Canada First” strategy that will include tax cuts and the elimination of caps to Canada’s energy sector. He said Wednesday, “Let your motto be, Canada first, Canada last and Canada always.” On Tuesday he urged Trudeau to stop plans for “quadrupling the carbon tax to 61 cents a liter” that he said would “push our economy into a nightmare and a tailspin.”

The Conservative Party of Canada leader also said Trudeau needs to cancel natural gas and oil caps that “would see Alberta and Saskatchewan produce 35 percent less energy at a time when we need those jobs," and that Trudeau needs to refrain from any future tax increases, enforce border security, eliminate the softwood lumber tariff with the US and increase defense spending.

Trudeau acknowledged Wednesday that Trump is serious about the tariff and told the premiers that hoping the president-elect will change course is not a serious policy position. Trump announced Monday that he would slap the tariff on both Canada and Mexico on his Inauguration Day of Jan 20 unless America’s neighbors stop the flow of human smuggling and drug trafficking.

Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc told reporters Wednesday that “we can make additional investments to reassure Canadians that all of the measures necessary are in place and will continue to be in place” at the border, according to The Star.

The Trudeau government may intend to produce more funding for the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency, the outlet reported. LeBlanc added that his Liberal government will “continue to tighten the screws” to reduce illegal immigrants from coming into Canada or using Canada as a backdoor to illegally enter the US.

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said a “strong, smart and united” front is required between the federal government and the provinces. “Now is really a moment for us not to squabble amongst ourselves,” said Freeland, according to The Star.

Trump has said that Mexico said it will also comply with Trump’s demand for better border security. "Just had a wonderful conversation with the new President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo," Trump said. "She has agreed to stop Migration through Mexico, and into the United States, effectively closing our Southern Border. We also talked about what can be done to stop the massive drug inflow into the United States, and also, US consumption of these drugs. It was a very productive conversation!" Sheinbaum later said she did not say she would close the borders.