Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has asserted that the country “will not back down” in the escalating trade conflict with the United States, which officially commenced on Tuesday, March 4.
Speaking to the nation following Washington’s decision to impose 25 per cent tariffs on nearly all Canadian exports — excluding some energy products, which face a lower 10 per cent rate — Trudeau reiterated his government’s commitment to responding with countermeasures. Billions of dollars in retaliatory tariffs have already been implemented, with additional measures set to take effect in the coming weeks.
Drawing a contrast between the US’s approach to Canada and its stance on Russia, Trudeau remarked: “Make that make sense.”
“Canadians are reasonable, and we are polite, but we will not back down from a fight. Not when our country and the well-being of everyone in it is at stake,” he said, calling the tariffs unjustified.
Acknowledging the challenges ahead, Trudeau cautioned: “This is going to be tough.” He assured Canadians that the federal government would use “every tool at our disposal” to support those affected.
Trudeau also addressed US citizens, stating: “Your government has chosen to do this to you.”
US President Donald Trump has justified the tariffs by claiming that Canada has failed to adequately curb the movement of people and drugs across the border. However, data from both countries does not support these claims.
Trudeau dismissed Trump’s reasoning as “completely bogus,” asserting that Canada’s border is already secure. He pointed to a recently launched $1.3-billion border initiative that includes additional personnel, drones, and helicopters, alongside the appointment of a “fentanyl czar”.
“We stepped up. We engaged closely and constructively with the president and his administration. We did everything we promised. We stuck to our word. And we did it because we believe in working together to protect our citizens,” Trudeau said.
Speaking directly to Trump, he reflected on their working relationship: “In the over eight years you and I have worked together, we’ve done big things. We’ve signed a historical deal that has created record jobs and growth in both of our countries. We’ve done big things on the world stage … and now, we should be working together to ensure even greater prosperity for North Americans in a very uncertain and challenging world.”
Quoting an unexpected source, Trudeau added: “It’s not in my habit to agree with The Wall Street Journal but Donald, they point out that even though you’re a very smart guy, this is a very dumb thing to do.”
He warned that the trade war would only benefit adversaries: “We two friends fighting is exactly what our opponents around the world want to see.”
Trudeau also accused Trump of deliberately harming the Canadian economy and even seeking to annex the country. “First of all, that’s never going to happen. We will never be the 51st state. But yeah, he can do damage to the Canadian economy, and he’s started this morning,” he said.
“But he is rapidly going to find out, as American families are going to find out, that that’s going to hurt people on both sides of the border.”
Watch the video below.
“This is a very dumb thing to do.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addressed Donald Trump directly in response to U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods.
— Vine.Park (@VineParkMedia) March 4, 2025
Source: Linda Ikeji Blog
