OTTAWA — Canada’s political class scrambled to respond on Thursday, after United States President Donald Trump took his latest swipe at Canada in virtual remarks to the World Economic Forum, telling attendees that the U.S. economy could get along just fine without Canadian imports.
“We don’t need them to make our cars… we don’t need their lumber, because we have our own forests… we don’t need their oil and gas, we have more than anybody,” said Trump, speaking from Washington, D.C.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, in Ottawa for a caucus retreat, was quick to waive off Trump’s words as empty rhetoric.
Trudeau told reporters that Trump does, in fact, need Canada’s exports if he wants to make good on his campaign promise to deliver unprecedented prosperity to Americans.
“President Trump has announced that he wants a golden age for the American economy,” said Trudeau.
“That means they’re going to need more energy, more minerals… more of the things that Canada is already sending them as a reliable and trustworthy partner.”
In his first speech to the WEF since his first presidency ended in early 2021, Trump repeated talking points painting Canada as a self-serving trade partner, taking advantage of U.S. generosity.
“Canada’s been very tough to deal with over the years, and it’s not fair that we should have a 200 or 250 billion dollar (trade) deficit,” said Trump, referring to the small trade imbalance created by U.S. demand for Canadian energy exports.
Trump repeated his now expected line about Canada becoming the 51st state of the U.S.
Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly said she remained focused on finding a diplomatic path toward averting a cross-border trade war.
“First and foremost, our engagement with the U.S. continues,” Joly told reporters.
Joly said that she spoke to newly confirmed U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for 30 minutes on Wednesday, making the case that tariffs would have negative economic consequences for both Canada and the U.S.
She also revealed that she will be heading to Washington next week to meet with Rubio and other high-ranking Republicans.
Joly said that Canada will participate in the process set forth in a day one executive order directing federal agencies to re-examine U.S. trade relationships with China and its North American neighbours.
Former finance minister Chrystia Freeland, currently a contender to succeed Trudeau as Canada’s next prime minister, warned that it would be a mistake to take Trump’s words too lightly.
“We cannot ignore what President Trump is doing,” said Freeland. “This is a president who has a majority in the Senate, who has a majority in Congress and who has really, really radical plans.”
“He wants to change the United States… He wants to change the world.”
Freeland said she was up to the challenge of fighting Trump’s America First agenda, pointing to her track record as Canada’s lead trade negotiator during the first Trump presidency.
“I am the person who is ready to defend Canada,” Freeland told reporters.
One politician who wasn’t too concerned by Trump’s rhetoric was Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who just got back from a five-day stay in Washington, D.C. on Thursday.
“In a negotiation, both sides will say all kinds of things and use different tactics,” said Smith spokesperson Sam Blackett in a statement to the media.
“It’s important when this happens to remain calm and diplomatic while continuing to carry out Alberta’s and Canada’s strategy. The Premier will continue to do so.”
National Post
[email protected]
Get more deep-dive National Post political coverage and analysis in your inbox with the Political Hack newsletter, where Ottawa bureau chief Stuart Thomson and political analyst Tasha Kheiriddin get at what’s really going on behind the scenes on Parliament Hill every Wednesday and Friday, exclusively for subscribers. Sign up here.
Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark nationalpost.com and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here.