Trudeau Confident About Canada’s Position Over US Tariff Threat

By Reuters
March 8, 2018 Last Updated: March 8, 2018
U.S. President Donald Trump holds a joint news conference with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Lofven in the White House East Room in Washington, U.S. on March 6, 2018. (Reuters/Leah Millis) / Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa, Canada on Feb. 28, 2018. (Reuters/Chris Wattie)

TORONTO—Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Thursday there is a “level of confidence” that the country’s close relationship with the United States will protect it from U.S. tariffs on steel and aluminum imports.

A White House official said on Wednesday that U.S. President Donald Trump plans to offer Canada and Mexico a 30-day exemption from planned tariffs on steel and aluminum imports, which could be extended based on progress in talks to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement.

Trudeau told CBC radio he believes there will be “a recognition that Canada is in a particular situation in our close relationship” with the United States.

Trump planned to have a meeting Thursday to discuss tariffs. He had been expected later in the day to sign a proclamation imposing 25 percent tariffs on steel imports and 10 percent on aluminum, but this could slide into Friday.

“The president has said look, if we get to a position where we have successfully renegotiated NAFTA there won’t be any tariffs for Canada, we are going see what he actually announces later today,” Trudeau said later in the morning during a separate interview on Breakfast Television.

“We are continuing to push on getting the right deal for Canada, getting the right deal for Canadians, getting the right deal for everyone.”

Reporting by Allison Lampert

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