OTTAWA — It was a reprieve rather than an exoneration.
That was the reaction to President Donald Trump’s conspicuous lack of Canada mentions during his first day in office Monday, with fears of a day-one executive order establishing 25% trade tariffs not materializing.
In a statement, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith — who opposes using western Canadian oil as bargaining chips — described Monday’s lack of announcement as an “implied acknowledgement” that the issue is too complex to solve with a stroke of a pen.
“Avoiding tariffs will save hundreds of thousands of Canadian and American jobs across every sector,” she wrote.
“As an example, declining to impose U.S. tariffs on Canadian energy will preserve the viability of dozens of U.S. refineries and facilities that upgrade Alberta crude and the tens of thousands of Americans employed by them.”
In a statement, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau congratulated Trump on his second term, saying Canada is committed to strengthening cross-border relations.
“We’re making massive investments to bolster cross-border trade, reinforce our supply chains, and create jobs on both sides of the border,” the statement read.
“We are strongest when we work together, and I look forward to working with President Trump, his administration, members of the United States Congress, and officials at the state and local levels to deliver prosperity for our peoples — while protecting and defending the interests of Canadians.”
Drew Fagan, professor at the U of T’s Munk School of Global Affairs & Public Policy, agreed that Monday was indeed a reprieve for Canada — but said tariffs certainly aren’t off the table.
“Canada has been primed for something, but in the hierarchy of issues that (Trump’s) got, it’s not surprising that on day one he was focusing primarily on domestic matters,” he said.
“He’s played us beautifully — it took very little to heighten our concerns and bring the Canada-U.S. relationship right to the top of the agenda at a time of real political transition and uncertainty. It really didn’t take a lot, just a couple of insults and threats, and that’s not surprising — considering how dependent Canada is on the United States in terms of trad and economic prosperity.”
He said Canada certainly isn’t off the hook as far as President Trump is concerned.
“Major Canadian business organizations are breathing a sigh of relief, but we’re certainly not out of the woods,” Fagan said.
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