Toronto (AP) – The Prime Minister of Canada and the President of Mexico ordered prices for reprisal on the goods of the United States, according to their threats after we Donald Trump launched a trade war by imposing radical prices on imports of the imports of Canada, Mexico and China.
Canada initially targets $ 30 billion in goods imported from the United States with prices of 25% to enter into force on February 4, including drinks, cosmetics and paper products. A second list will be unveiled soon and will be implemented after the public consultation. This will include passenger vehicles, trucks, steel and aluminum products, certain fruits and vegetables, beef, pork, dairy products and more.
Mexico has so far said that this would impose reprisal prices, without mentioning any rates or products.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum spoke by phone on Saturday after Trump administration imposed radical prices – 25% on goods from Canada and Mexico, and 10% of imports from China – Although there is still no indication that the two countries coordinate answers or will act in concert in the coming days.
The Trudeau office said in a statement that Canada and Mexico have agreed to “improve strong bilateral relations”.
“It’s now time to choose products manufactured here in Canada,” Trudeau published on X Sunday. On Saturday, he even suggested that Canadians should not buy American products or vacation in the United States
Canada is the largest export market for 36 states and Mexico is the largest trading partner in the United States
Canada and Mexico have ordered prices despite the new threat of Trump to increase the functions invoiced if so -called reprisals are placed on American products.
“We are certainly not trying to degenerate, but we will defend Canada,” Trudeau said on Saturday evening.
At the local level, certain authorities of the provinces such as Ontario, British Columbia and Nova Scotia will remove the American alcohol brands from the shelves of the government store. The Ontario alcohol control council sells nearly a billion dollars of American wine, beer, spirits and Seltzers each year, Ontario Prime Minister Doug Ford said on Sunday.
“More,” said Ford in a statement. “From Tuesday, we delete American products from LCBO shelves. As the only alcohol wholesaler in the province, LCBO will also remove American products from its catalog, so other restaurants and retailers based in Ontario cannot order or replenish American products. »»
Beyond the official response, people are already reflecting on ways to deal with Trump’s decision, including sharing social media lists with alternatives to American products.
Trudeau, in fact, addressed the Americans directly, saying that the prices “will have real consequences for you”.
Trump responded on Sunday, criticizing Canada’s commercial surplus with the United States and arguing that without this surplus, “Canada ceases to exist as a viable country. Hard but true! Therefore, Canada should become our 51st darling state. Much lower taxes, and much better military protection for the people of Canada – and no prices! »»
The Canadians feel a feeling of undeniable betrayal of their closest allies and friends. Trudeau reminded the Americans that Canadian troops fought alongside them in Afghanistan and helped respond to a myriad of crises, forest fires in California at Hurricane Katrina.
Canadian hockey fans hooked the US national anthem in two National Hockey League games on Saturday evening.
In Mexico, the official public approach to Trump’s pricing threat was different, limited public statements to say that the government was prepared for everything that would happen and that it would guarantee that the country was respected.
In 2019, Mexico was finally able to avoid Trump’s pricing threat by adding immigration control to the responsibilities of its newly formed national guard, but this time, the accusation of criminal alliances with the administration of Sheinbaum the has rejected. She called on the United States to clean up her own drug and rifles problems and keep her nose outside Mexico. Trump said he imposed the prices to stop the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs through the southern and northern United States.
Beyond the prices, academics and diplomats in Mexico severely criticized the “reprisals clause”, Trump included who threatened to increase the even higher rate levels if the targets struck.
Martha Bárcena, a former Mexico ambassador to the United States during Trump’s first term, said that it was “very delicate because there has never been such a severe declaration of the United States government against the Mexican government”.
Gabriela Siller, director of economic analysis to the Mexican financial group Banco Base, said the prices could trigger an “economic crisis” in Mexico, by hitting the key industries and raising unemployment and prices.
In the short term, the Sheinbaum government should probably “apply a counterfeit budgetary policy in Mexico so that there is no crash” and take up a montage debt, said Siller.
In the long term, the government is expected to seek new trade agreements, but excessive dependence on trade links with the United States will make Mexico difficult to diversify quickly, she said.
After Trump won the elections in November, Canadian leaders openly said that Mexico was the business and border problem, Canada. And some continued to say it.
“I can tell the American people, Canada is not the problem. The problem is the Mexican border and China. This is where the problem is, “said Ontario Prime Minister Doug Ford.
The trade war comes as Canada enters an electoral cycle. The Liberal Party of Trudeau will announce a new leader on March 9 and a spring election is expected.
“Canada will not bow against a tyrant,” said Mark Carney, considered the favorite to replace Trudeau.
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Verza contributed from Mexico City. The AP Megan Janetsky and Fabiola Sánchez screenwriters also contributed from Mexico City.