Poilievre says he’d fight Trump economic policies, tariffs ‘with fire’

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is vowing to “fight occurrence with fire” and code U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s economical protectionism with akin policies aimed astatine attracting concern and higher wages successful Canada.

Poilievre told Jas Johal connected Corus Radio presumption CKNW successful Vancouver connected Friday helium besides supports accrued information astatine the U.S.-Canada border, but downplayed fears that Trump’s promised wide deportations volition pb to an influx of migrants seeking to participate Canada.

Corus Entertainment is the genitor institution of Global News.

Johal asked however Poilievre would program to woody with Trump if helium imposed tariffs connected Canada, arsenic he’s promised a broad 10-per cent tariff connected each overseas imports to the U.S.

“First of all, we should beryllium exempt from each these tariffs. I can’t judge that (Prime Minister Justin) Trudeau signed a commercialized woody with Trump that leaves unfastened the anticipation of a 10-per cent tariff. I ne'er would person agreed to that,” Poilievre said.

He added helium would enactment to extremity tariffs connected softwood lumber and unafraid an exemption to “Buy American” policies.

“But much importantly, I’ll combat occurrence with fire,” helium said, noting Canada has seen ample levels of investments falling and moving to the U.S. implicit the past 9 years. “I privation our wealth back.”

The Conservative person said his long-stated program to destruct the user c price, arsenic good arsenic cuts to income taxation and taxes connected overseas investments, volition extremity the travel of concern and manufacture from Canada to the U.S.

“Trump wants our jobs, Trudeau wants to assistance them instrumentality them,” helium said. “When I’m premier minister, that ends.”

Trump has besides promised reductions connected taxes and regulations to thrust concern into the U.S. to antagonistic China, who helium said volition look 60-per cent tariffs connected imported goods.

The Liberal authorities has expressed assurance that the archetypal Trump administration, which saw tit-for-tat tariffs connected alloy and aluminum, proved Canada should beryllium exempt from specified tariffs. It has besides said Canada’s alignment with the U.S. connected Chinese car manufacture tariffs puts Ottawa connected “firm” crushed for scheduled escaped commercialized talks successful 2026.

But Poilievre said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s authorities should person secured an exemption from U.S. tariffs successful the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement that replaced NAFTA during Trump’s archetypal word — including connected softwood lumber.

The Biden medication this twelvemonth importantly accrued duties connected softwood lumber from Canada, to 14.54 per cent from 8.05 per cent.

The summation has received backlash from authorities and manufacture successful British Columbia, wherever the forestry assemblage has struggled for years nether the precocious export costs.

Poilievre said helium would extremity those duties but wouldn’t accidental how.

“Trump wants what’s champion for American workers, I privation what’s champion for Canadian workers,” helium said.

“We’re not going to beryllium suckers anymore … Trump would emotion thing much to support than support Trudeau successful powerfulness due to the fact that helium tin locomotion each implicit him and helium tin instrumentality his money.”

He added Trump volition apt instrumentality vantage of the planned summation to the user c terms adjacent April by attracting much businesses and workers to travel to the U.S.

Trending Now

The authorities has been pressed by absorption parties and provinces connected its program for borderline information and enforcement of radical looking to participate Canada irregularly from the U.S. amid a Trump-led migration crackdown, including deportations.

The Liberals accidental agencies person been preparing for specified a script for months and that authorities is prepared to supply further resources if necessary.

Poilievre said helium wants to spot much front-line officers astatine the Canadian borderline arsenic good arsenic legislative changes “if indispensable to forestall radical from abusing our system.”

But helium pointed the digit squarely astatine Trudeau, alternatively than Trump, for issues astatine the border.

“Let’s not get distracted,” Poilievre said. “The problems we person successful migration happened nether Justin Trudeau earlier this election. I mean, President Trump has not adjacent taken bureau yet.”

Trudeau announced past period Canada would slash the fig of imperishable residents accepted per twelvemonth successful a bid to dilatory colonisation maturation and code lodging and societal work shortages that person been blamed connected immigration.

The Customs and Immigration Union told Global News successful an emailed connection that staffing shortages astatine the Canada Border Services Agency person been “a long-standing issue,” and estimates the bureau would request an further 2,000 to 3,000 officers conscionable to conscionable its existent operational needs.

When pressed by Johal connected the request to code an expected surge of migrants fleeing Trump’s deportation plan, Poilievre dismissed the conception that it would overwhelm the exile system.

“It’s not imaginable to beryllium a exile from the United States,” helium said. “We abrogation there. It’s not a dictatorship. It’s not a unsafe state that you request to fly from.”

Trump’s newly-named “border czar,” Tom Homan, said this week that the Canada-U.S. borderline represented “an utmost nationalist information vulnerability” and vowed to code it erstwhile he’s successful the White House.

Republican Rep. Mike Walz, who Trump chose arsenic his nationalist information adviser, has openly cheered connected Poilievre to triumph the adjacent predetermination against Trudeau, which is presently acceptable for nary aboriginal than adjacent October.