Politics
Among the most senior officials in Ottawa, there is a document circulating that outlines specific details about how Canada could retaliate against Donald Trump’s tariff threat.
Ottawa is increasingly concerned Donald Trump will impose tariffs on Canada
Katie Simpson · CBC News
· Posted: Jan 08, 2025 6:00 PM EST | Last Updated: 1 hour ago
Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened Canada with a 25 per cent tariff on imports to the United States since winning the 2024 U.S. presidential election. (@justintrudeau/X)Among the most senior officials in Ottawa, there is a document circulating that outlines specific details about how Canada could retaliate against Donald Trump’s tariff threat.
The list includes hundreds of American-made goods that Canada is considering hitting with retaliatory tariffs, according to a senior Canadian government source.
American steel products, ceramics including toilets and sinks, glassware, flowers and different types of plastics are all included as possible targets for retaliatory tariffs.
Florida orange juice is also on the list, though the source stressed final decisions have not yet been made.
When Trump slapped tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum in 2018, Canada selected items in retaliation in hopes of extracting maximum political pressure. That will be the case again should there be a need to respond, the source said.
The source said many of the steel products that are being considered for tariffs are produced in the key swing states of Michigan and Pennsylvania. A tariff on orange juice from Florida aims to send a message to Trump’s adopted state, and the new centre of American power.
CBC News previously reported that officials around Prime Minister Justin Trudeau are increasingly convinced that the president-elect will follow through with his threat to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canada and Mexico.
WATCH | Canada threatens tariffs on U.S. products:
U.S. steel, orange juice on list of Canada’s retaliatory tariffs: Source
A senior government source has told CBC News that a list of potential retaliatory tariffs includes U.S. steel and aluminum, ceramics and orange juice. But they would only be imposed if U.S. president-elect Donald Trump follows through with his tariff threat on Canadian goods. -or-Canada threatens tariffs on these U.S.-made products
In late November, Trump wrote on social media that Canada and Mexico both must make significant improvements to border security, or else face the punishing economic measure. He also said he would impose those tariffs on his first day in office, which is now less than two weeks away.
Trump doubled down on his threat Tuesday during a remarkable press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate, where he claimed the U.S. would absorb Canada by “economic force.”
The senior Canadian government source, whom CBC News is not naming because they were not authorized to speak publicly, said a decision has yet to be made on whether to make the full list of Canadian tariff threats public before Trump’s inauguration.
Sources told Radio-Canada that some members of the cabinet committee responsible for Canada-U.S. relations don’t want to release the list before Trump imposes tariffs because it would provoke the president-elect.
The federal government is also examining the possibility of using energy exports as leverage to dissuade the future Trump administration from going ahead with its threats, the sources told Radio-Canada.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has raised the idea of cutting off his province’s electricity exports to the U.S. However, this suggestion is not unanimous among the provinces. Alberta, Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador have already declared their opposition to the idea of cutting off energy supplies to the United States.
Trudeau is expected to announce details of the Canadian plan when he meets the premiers next week in Ottawa.
WATCH | Premiers will present their own list of tariffs to Trudeau:
Premiers to present list of retaliatory tariffs in meeting with Trudeau
Canada’s premiers will travel to Washington, D.C., on Feb. 12 to present a ‘collective unified voice’ against tariffs, New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt tells Power & Politics.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Katie Simpson is a foreign correspondent with CBC News based in Washington. Prior to joining the team in D.C., she spent six years covering Parliament Hill in Ottawa and nearly a decade covering local and provincial issues in Toronto.
Follow @CBCKatie on TwitterMore from Katie SimpsonWith files from Louis Blouin, Radio-Canada
