Canadian prime ministers are calling for a strong response to Trump’s threat of tariffs, a minister told Reuters

Author: Nia Williams

(Reuters) – Some Canadian prime ministers are urging Ottawa to respond decisively to the threat of tariffs from U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and have highlighted critical minerals and metals as products the U.S. relies on, Canada’s finance minister said on Wednesday.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other cabinet ministers met with provincial premiers to discuss Trump’s promise to impose steep tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports after he is sworn in as president in January.

That promise sparked fears of a trade war between the US and its two biggest trading partners.

“A number of premiers offered strong support for a strong Canadian response that included some premiers proactively listing critical minerals and metals their provinces produce that are exported to the United States,” Finance Minister Christia Freeland told reporters after the meeting.

Canada is currently emphasizing outreach to U.S. officials, Freeland said, adding that Canadian business and labor leaders are also reaching out to their American counterparts.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford (NISE:) said energy exports to the United States could also be halted, without giving further details.

Ontario exports electricity to the U.S. but produces none of the 4 million barrels of oil a day that Canada ships south of the border.

“We’re going to use every tool in our toolbox, including cutting off the energy we’re sending,” Ford told reporters.

Trudeau said Monday that Canada will respond to unfair tariffs, as it did during the last Trump presidency when Ottawa added tariffs on goods including bourbon, Harley Davidson motorcycles and cherries.

Trump has said he will keep protectionist trade measures in place until Canada and Mexico crack down on drugs and migrants crossing the U.S. border

The federal government has also discussed planned border security measures with the prime ministers, Public Safety Minister Dominique LeBlanc said, adding that Canada will next share those details with Trump’s team once they are finalized.