Washington DC [US], February 3 (ANI): US President Donald Trump said that he had spoken with the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau amid tensions over the 25 per cent tariff levied on Ottawa.
“Canada doesn’t even allow U.S. Banks to open or do business there. What’s that all about? Many such things, but it’s also a DRUG WAR, and hundreds of thousands of people have died in the U.S. from drugs pouring through the Borders of Mexico and Canada. Just spoke to Justin Trudeau. Will be speaking to him again at 3:00 P.M,” Trump said.
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Tariffs imposed by Trump on Canada are set to take effect tomorrow.
Earlier, White House National Economic Council Director Kevin Hasset said the US government has noticed that Canada has “misunderstood” Trump’s executive order on tariffs.
“Canadians appear to have misunderstood the plain language of the executive order,” Al Jazeera quoted him as saying.
Doug Ford, premier of the major Canadian province bordering the US, Ontario, on Monday banned American companies from provincial contracts, and shunned Starlink.
“Starting today and until U.S. tariffs are removed, Ontario is banning American companies from provincial contracts. Every year, the Ontario government and its agencies spend $30 billion on procurement, alongside our $200 billion plan to build Ontario. U.S.-based businesses will now lose out on tens of billions of dollars in new revenues. They only have President Trump to blame. We’re going one step further. We’ll be ripping up the province’s contract with Starlink. Ontario won’t do business with people hellbent on destroying our economy. Canada didn’t start this fight with the U.S., but you better believe we’re ready to win it.”
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Trump has said trade tariffs on the European Union ‘will definitely happen’, after his administration imposed tariffs against Mexico, Canada and China, as per Al Jazeera.
French President Emmanuel Macron has said the EU bloc must stand for itself if Trump acts on his threats.
“If we are attacked in terms of trade, Europe – as a true power – will have to stand up for itself and therefore react,” Macron said as he arrived for EU leaders’ talks in Brussels, as per Al Jazeera.
Meanwhile, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said any attempts at waging trade wars are a complete mistake, referring to Trump’s tariff moves.
“Poland will for sure be a country that encourages common sense and caution. But we also have to say clearly that any plans to introduce customs and (wage) trade wars are a complete mistake,” he said in Brussels. “I hope that such a firm, clear, friendly, but tough European position will get across to the American administration,” Al Jazeera reported.
Tariff threats have seemingly sent several countries in frenzy. However, China’s response seems muted. China’s Commerce Ministry did not announce specific tariffs in its response on Sunday, stating only that it would take “corresponding countermeasures to firmly safeguard its rights and interests”.
This comes as US Secretary of State Marco Rubio travelled to Panama to tell its leader to end China’s alleged influence over the Panama Canal or face action from Washington.
“We see China’s presence in the Panama Canal – and the President has made it very clear – as not only a threat to the United States national security but to that of Panama itself and ultimately to that of the region. And that needs to be addressed, right?” Mauricio Claver-Carone, United States Special Envoy for Latin America said in a special briefing on Friday.
Trump reiterated his vow to “take back” the Panama Canal on Sunday, warning of “powerful” US action in an escalating diplomatic dispute with the Central American country over China’s presence around the vital waterway, as per CNN.
“China is running the Panama Canal that was not given to China, that was given to Panama foolishly, but they violated the agreement, and we’re going to take it back, or something very powerful is going to happen,” Trump said, as per CNN. (ANI)
