Canada’s premiers will be in Washington, D.C., this week on a diplomatic push following newly announced U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum and the ongoing threat of broad tariffs being placed on Canadian exports.
While Canada has been given a 30-day reprieve from sweeping tariffs, U.S. President Donald Trump this week ordered a 25 percent import tax on all steel and aluminum entering the United States, arguing the country’s “critical” steel and aluminum industries have been “harmed by unfair trade practices and global excess capacity.”
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who is in Paris for a global summit on artificial intelligence, called the new levies “unacceptable,” and said he will work with the U.S. administration in the coming weeks to highlight the potential negative effects of those tariffs on both sides of the border. He also said he was working with international partners to deliver a “firm and clear” response if necessary.
Premiers and territorial leaders will be meeting with U.S. officials and industry leaders on Feb. 12 to advocate for stronger ties between Canada and the United States. The joint mission is led by Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who spoke to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce at a Feb. 11 event in Washington.
Ford, who has promised to retaliate if Trump goes ahead with tariffs, said the United States and Canada should work together to counter the economic threats posed by Beijing.
“Let’s protect against Chinese investment and ownership in strategically important sectors such as critical minerals and energy,” Ford said at the event. “Canada, the United States and Mexico all need strong, robust investment review processes, designed to block Chinese investments aimed at undermining our economies.”
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Ford is scheduled to host a joint reception with Republican Sen. Kevin Cramer afterward.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith also travelled to Washington ahead of the premiers’ joint mission. She said in a Feb. 10 statement she is “encouraged” by the 30-day pause on tariffs, which she says demonstrates the importance of diplomacy and border security action. Smith said during the upcoming talks with U.S. officials, premiers will “continue efforts to deescalate tensions between our two countries, work together on shared goals and find common ground so that we can restore our mutually beneficial and enduring friendship.”
Both Ford and Smith have called on Ottawa to promptly appoint a “fentanyl czar,” which was a key commitment made by Trudeau after Trump agreed to the 30-day tariff reprieve.
White House officials have said Trump’s threat to impose 25 percent tariffs on Canadian goods, with a reduced 10 percent tariff on Canadian oil and gas, is not a trade war but a “drug war,” aimed at making Canada curb the flow of fentanyl across the border. Trump has also cited stemming illegal migration across the Canada-U.S. border as a primary reason for tariffs.
Ahead of the premiers’ joint mission, Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe is also set to meet with U.S. officials and business leaders in Washington to discuss trade and Saskatchewan’s “vital role in supplying the continent with energy and food security.”
“We need to engage with our counterparts in the United States to emphasize the shared benefit of trade between our two countries and turn the conversation toward building on those strengths rather than jeopardizing them with tariffs,” said Moe in a Feb. 11 social media post.
After his trip to Washington, Moe will head to Mexico “to advance relationships with this key trading partner,” said the province in a Feb. 7 press release. In addition, the premier and some cabinet ministers will be travelling within Canada to advocate for the province’s interests.
British Columbia Premier David Eby, who is also attending meetings in the U.S. capital on Feb. 11, said Canadian representatives need to show the U.S. administration that tariffs are not in the interests of either country.
“Obviously, we need to help them understand the importance of our tightly linked economies, and that while they may think they’re trying to get something from Canada, it’s just mutually assured damage,” he said.
After the announcement of the 30-day tariff pause, Eby said his province would continue to prepare for a scenario where tariffs are enforced.
Quebec Premier François Legault called Trump’s decision to impose tariffs on steel and aluminium “unjustifiable,” and said he will defend his province’s interests during his visit to the U.S. capital.
Quebec “is the largest exporter of aluminum to the United States,” said Legault in a Feb. 10 social media post. “I will be in Washington tomorrow to vigorously defend Quebec’s interests and protect our workers.”
Legault has said the uncertainty created by the tariff pause is harmful for the economy, and has called for Canada’s free trade agreement with the United States and Mexico to be renegotiated “as soon as possible” rather than waiting for the deal’s review, which is scheduled for 2026.
Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey said he will tell U.S. officials about the impact of the tariffs on both countries during his trip to Washington. He also said Trump’s comments about wanting Canada to become an American state, which the U.S. president reiterated this week, are serious.
“Make no mistake, President Trump isn’t joking when he says Canada should abandon its nationhood and become the 51st state,” Furey said in a Feb. 11 social media post. “That’s why I’m in Washington this week, working alongside fellow premiers and territorial leaders as part of Team Canada.”
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
