Smith calls U.S. tariffs 'foolish' as Alberta to reveal response plan soon
Premier Danielle Smith says she will be meeting with her cabinet today and tomorrow in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs that were slapped onto Canada today.
President Trump imposed 25 per cent tariffs on all products from Canada and Mexico, except energy, which will be subject to 10 per cent tariffs. They kicked in this morning, causing U.S. and Canadian stocks to plummet immediately.
Smith issued a statement Tuesday morning in response to the tariffs, calling them an unjustifiable economic attack on Canadians and Albertans.
She added that they signal a breach of the trade agreement signed by this same U.S. President during his first term, and that the tariffs will hurt the American people and will also cost hundreds of thousands of American and Canadian jobs.
“This policy is both foolish and a failure in every regard. This is not the way it should be between two of the world’s strongest trading allies and partners,” Smith said.
Smith will be meeting with her cabinet today and tomorrow to discuss Alberta’s response to the tariffs, which will be announced tomorrow.
In a press conference Tuesday morning, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced 25 per cent retaliatory tariffs against $155 billion of American goods, beginning with taxes on $30 billion worth of products immediately. The list of US goods includes orange juice, peanut butter, wine, spirits, beer, coffee, appliances, apparel, footwear, motorcycles, cosmetics, and more.
He says duties will be slapped onto the remaining $125 billion in American products in 21 days.