Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responds to questions from the opposition during Question Period, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024 in Ottawa. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Adrian Wyld

By Nick Murray, Canadian Press

Trudeau set to speak with premiers to tackle Trump’s tariff plan

Dec 11, 2024 | 12:07 PM

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is set to meet with provincial and territorial premiers Wednesday afternoon to talk Canada-U.S. relations.

The premiers will virtually discuss a plan to tackle the threat of 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports by incoming U.S. president Donald Trump.

“We have to have a strategy that serves Canadians. There’s no room for freelancing here,” Liberal MP Yasir Naqvi told reporters on his way into a caucus meeting on Wednesday. “That’s why I think the meeting that’s happening today is extremely important.”

Canada has vowed to beef up border security in the face of Trump’s trade threats, despite a lack of evidence for Trump’s claims about illicit fentanyl pouring into the U.S. from Canada.

Liberal MP Sean Casey said it’s not a problem if it appears Canada is bending to Trump’s pressure.

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“Whether it looks like we’re caving to his demands is completely irrelevant,” he said as he also headed into the caucus meeting. “If his demands are aligned with the best interest of Canada, the perception of the relationship doesn’t matter.”

The meeting is the first time Trudeau will address the premiers after his dinner with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

It comes a day after Trump made a social media post referring to Trudeau as governor of “the great state of Canada” — a nod to his ribbing that Canada should join the U.S. as its 51st state.

The meeting also comes as the countdown begins for an extended winter break for the House of Commons that is set to start next week.

MPs cleared a hurdle Tuesday night by approving $21.6 billion in additional spending in a vote that came down to the wire to meet a deadline for Parliamentary to give a green light to the government.

The additional cash will fund various programs including First Nations child and family services, dental care and compensation for Quebec for the costs of caring for asylum seekers.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 11, 2024.

— With files from Kyle Duggan