Six U.S. governors are seeking to preserve cross-border trade with Canada amid rising costs and tensions tied to U.S. tariffs.
Six Northeastern governors have invited the premiers of six Canadian provinces to meet in Boston to address the impact of President Donald Trump’s recent tariffs and explore ways to “maintain strong trade relations.”
The invitation was extended on May 5 by Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey, who was joined by governors of Maine, New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Vermont.
In a joint letter, the governors said they aim to “keep open lines of communication and cooperation and identify avenues to overcome the hardship of these uninvited tariffs and help our economies endure.”
The letter was sent to the premiers of Ontario, Québec, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.
“We are keenly aware of the effects these tariffs have on citizens on both sides of the border. Businesses small and large that employ citizens in the U.S. and Canada are already facing severe consequences from the trade war as the tariffs make life increasingly more expensive for our people and our businesses,” the governors wrote.
The tariffs on Canada, imposed in March along with similar levies on Mexico, were the Trump administration’s response to the flow of fentanyl into the United States.
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Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick on March 3 commended the job Canada and Mexico have been doing to curb the flow of illegal immigrants but urged the two countries to do more to stop the movement of fentanyl.
“They haven’t done enough on fentanyl,” Lutnick said.
Another goal of the president’s tariffs is to reshore U.S. manufacturing and revive the nation’s industrial base.
The governors’ proposed convening, to be held in Boston in the coming weeks, would bring together U.S. and Canadian leaders to discuss ways to mitigate economic disruption and preserve long-standing cross-border relationships, according to the letter. The governors said they will follow up to discuss availability and scheduling for the meeting.
In a press release announcing the formal invitation, Healey said, “Canada is Massachusetts’ No. 1 trading partner.”
“For generations, we have enjoyed a strong partnership and a healthy exchange of energy, lumber, dairy, cars and car parts, seafood and more. Our businesses and our residents all benefit from this relationship.”
Healey added that she believed tariffs were undermining that partnership and making it harder for businesses to keep their doors open, as well as increasing the cost of goods in Canada and New England.
Other governors echoed those concerns.
“Canada is Maine’s single largest trading partner, with more than $6 billion in cross-border commerce occurring last year alone,” said Maine Gov. Janet Mills. “Our economies and our cultures have enjoyed strong relationships for generations, which is now strained by the president’s haphazard tariffs and harmful rhetoric targeting our northern neighbors.”
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul called the tariffs “the largest tax hike in American history,” and said they are “devastating to the small businesses, family farms, and local manufacturers.”
Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont said the state’s relationship with Canada is “critical … for countless small and large businesses,” while Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee said it is “critical that we come together to protect the jobs and industries that depend on strong, stable U.S.-Canada partnerships.”
Vermont Gov. Phil Scott, the only Republican among the six, said, “A trade war with our friends to the north, our largest trading partner, seems like a bad idea.”
The White House imposed a 10 percent tariff on most countries, including Canada, under a national security provision. While most of the higher reciprocal tariffs have been temporarily suspended, the baseline U.S. tariffs remain in place following a tied Senate vote that failed to overturn them. Lawmakers also passed a measure to end the tariffs on Canada, though the House has not yet acted on it.
The governors emphasized that their cross-border relationships are rooted in shared history as well as economic need. “Ours is a cherished relationship that is founded not only on mutual financial advantages but also on centuries-old familial and cultural bonds that supersede politics,” they wrote in the letter.
The White House did not respond to The Epoch Times’ request for comment on the governors’ invitation before publication.
President Trump has said the tariffs are meant to reorder international trade and reduce the U.S. trade deficit with the rest of the world. He has acknowledged the disruptions they’ve caused, especially in stock markets, but likened them to a remedy: “Sometimes you have to take medicine to fix something,” Trump told reporters last month.
The administration said the United States faces an annual $1.2 trillion trade deficit—the biggest in U.S. history.
Jackson Richman contributed to this article.
