ADVERTISEMENTs
-10”-x-5.png)
Canada to offer pandemic-level economic support if hit by US tariffs
"Canada will be there to support and protect workers whatever irrational decision is made south of the border," Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon told a news conference.
File photo of Canada's flag / Pexels
Ottawa will provide pandemic-level financial support to Canadian workers and businesses if US President Donald Trump follows through on sweeping tariff threats, officials said on Jan. 29.
Trump has said he would impose 25 percent tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico as early as Feb. 1 unless more action is taken to prevent migrants and illicit drugs from crossing into the United States.
With about 20 percent of the Canadian economy and almost two million workers in the country reliant on exports to the United States, the tariffs would hit hard.
"Canada will be there to support and protect workers whatever irrational decision is made south of the border," Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon told a news conference.
"Workers will not pay the price for or bear the brunt of a tariff decision made by the US administration," he said.
At his side, MP Randy Boissonnault jumped in to tell reporters to look to Canada's Covid-19 pandemic response to get a sense of the scale of the proposed bailout, which Canadian media have said could rise to billions of dollars.
"If you want to know what we can do and will do... take a look at (the government's) Covid playbook. Take a look at how we supported people during Covid," Boissonnault said.
The Canadian government doled out more than Can$280 billion in emergency pandemic benefits to individuals and businesses, pushing the national debt for the first time above Can$1 trillion in 2022.
Foreign Minister Melanie Joly headed to Washington on Jan. 29 to meet with US counterpart Marco Rubio, hoping to convince the Trump administration not to impose tariffs on Canada.
Public Safety Minister David McGuinty, meanwhile, is to present Trump's border czar Tom Homan this week details of Canada's Can$1.3 billion (US$900 million) plan to strengthen security at the Canada-US border.
At a news conference in Ottawa, McGuinty said this represented the "largest single investment in Canadian history on the Canadian border."
He noted that 400,000 people and billions of dollars in trade cross the border every day, while less than one percent of illegal migrants and fentanyl entering the United States have come from Canada.
McGuinty said he "remains hopeful" for a breakthrough in talks to avoid sanctions, adding on border cooperation: "We've been doing it for 150 years together. I don't see why we can't do it now."
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
E Paper
ADVERTISEMENT
.jpg)
Video
.JPG)
.JPG)
Comments
Start the conversation
Become a member of New India Abroad to start commenting.
Sign Up Now
Already have an account? Login