‘A lose-lose for everyone’: Manitoba reacts to Trump’s proposed tariffs

The president of the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce says Donald Trump‘s menace to slap a 25 per cent tariff connected everything entering the U.S. from Canada is simply a “lose-lose for everyone.”

Chuck Davidson told 680 CJOB’s The Start that experts were expecting a determination similar the 1 the U.S. president-elect has proposed, but they were looking for thing considerably lower.

“The Canadian Chamber has done immoderate enactment connected this, and recognized that a 10 per cent tariff was going to outgo the Canadian system astir $30 billion,” Davidson said.

“Well, erstwhile it’s 25 per cent. Do the mathematics — it’s going to beryllium importantly larger than that.

“This is simply a immense interest from a concern position and from a U.S.-Canada relations persepective arsenic well, and I deliberation this truly caught immoderate a small off-guard.”

Davidson said Manitoba exports $15 cardinal worthy of goods to the U.S. each year, and with tens of billions coming backmost this mode arsenic well, Trump’s connection volition compression businesses and enactment jobs connected the line.

“I deliberation determination needs to beryllium a amended knowing of the value of that narration from some sides,” helium said.

“There’s adjacent to 40 states that see Canada — and successful immoderate cases Manitoba — to beryllium their fig 1 trading partners.”

Trump has said the hefty tariffs volition enactment successful spot until Canada and Mexico halt drugs and radical from illegally crossing the borders.

Terry Shaw with Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters shares the sentiment that the tariffs would person a devastating interaction — connected some sides of the border.

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“This would interaction the U.S. economy, U.S. consumers and U.S. manufacturers, conscionable arsenic good arsenic it does Canadian,” Shaw told 680 CJOB’s Connecting Winnipeg.

“So it truly is benignant of a lose-lose concern if it does travel to pass.”

Shaw said the existent uncertainty astir the tariff is not doing the system immoderate favours, and that if the president-elect does spell done with the tariff, the Canadian authorities volition person to respond with its ain measures.

“We’re talking $800 cardinal successful economical enactment betwixt these 2 countries each twelvemonth — that we’re conscionable going to propulsion a 25 per cent premium on.

“It’s incredibly damaging connected some sides of the border, not lone to manufacturers, but to consumers who request our manufactured goods.”