Freeland pledges ‘dollar-for-dollar’ tariff retaliation in Liberal leadership launch

Former lawman premier curate Chrystia Freeland officially launched her run for the Liberal Party enactment connected Sunday with a code that touted her arsenic the campaigner champion positioned to basal up to U.S. president-elect Donald Trump.

Speaking successful beforehand of astir 200 supporters astatine the St. Alban’s Boys and Girls Club successful Toronto, Freeland highlighted her acquisition arsenic some overseas and concern minister, and pledged to lucifer Trump’s threatened 25 per cent tariff connected Canadian exports “dollar-for-dollar” to present “the biggest commercialized stroke the United States has ever endured.”

“We won’t prime a combat with you. We don’t privation a combat with you. But if the combat comes to our door, remember, we emotion our state conscionable arsenic overmuch arsenic you emotion yours,” Freeland said, referring to Trump.

“Canada is not for merchantability and our sovereignty is not negotiable. So if you deed us, we volition deed back.”

Freeland led Canada’s delegation during the renegotiation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) to the existent Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) during the past Trump administration, a constituent she cited to burnish her credentials.

So focused was Freeland’s “fight for Canada” connection that astatine points it appeared the University-Rosedale MP was moving for predetermination against Trump.

Indeed, it wasn’t until 40 minutes aft Freeland took the signifier that she mentioned Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre — and adjacent then, lone successful notation to the president-elect.

“He is acrophobic to combat backmost against radical helium admires. Sure he’s blessed to dunk connected the Liberals connected Twitter. But helium volition ne'er basal up to Donald Trump. He can’t adjacent basal up to Danielle Smith,” Freeland said.

“He volition beryllium connected the archetypal formation to Mar-a-Lago to buss the ring. He volition crook down and merchantability america out.”

Freeland’s code made small notation to her competitors successful the contention to go Liberal leader, prevention to situation them to pledge to tally arsenic MPs successful the adjacent predetermination adjacent if they neglect to unafraid the enactment enactment — thing she vowed to do.

It besides made scant notation to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who announced his plans to measurement down earlier this period amid cratering popularity.

Freeland divided publically with Trudeau successful December, resigning arsenic concern curate the aforesaid time she was scheduled to present a cardinal economical update.

Trending Now

“As lawman premier minister, I fought backmost against the premier curate erstwhile I knew the clip had travel to enactment our state first,” she told supporters.

Poilievre, meanwhile, was already progressive connected societal media Sunday moving to necktie Freeland to Trudeau policies.

“Carbon Tax Chrystia is present pretending she is against a taxation she VOTED FOR 43 times,” the Conservative person wrote.

“As Trudeau’s Finance Minister, she adjacent hiked the c taxation by 167%.”

Freeland’s motorboat was repeatedly disrupted by protesters, galore carrying Palestinian flags oregon banners referencing Gaza.

Supporters drowned retired the demonstrators with chants of “Freeland! Freeland!” but it took astir 20 minutes for the campaigner to get past her archetypal remarks and into her prepared speech.

Another caller national minister, Karina Gould, besides launched her enactment bid connected Sunday, saying she was stepping down arsenic House leader. Gould pledged, if elected, to frost the national c terms but not abolish it.

Earlier Sunday, Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly declared her endorsement for erstwhile Bank of Canada politician Mark Carney successful the enactment race.

The deadline for candidates to state their introduction into the Liberal Party enactment contention is Thursday.