The CEO of the second largest company listed in Canada said that Canadians want their government to do everything that President Trump demands – and criticized outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau not having prevented the trade war.
Trump, 78, signed an executive decree on Saturday to slap 25% of the prices between the edges of the northern neighbor of America, citing his inability to respond to his requests for aid to the cracking of fentanyl and illegal trade ‘immigration.
“Canada thrives when he works with America together. Win by helping America to win. Trump believes that Canada did not hold its side of the right deal, “wrote Tobi Lutke, who co -founded Shopify, on X.
“These are things that every Canadian also wants his government to do. These are not crazy requests, even if they come from an unpopular source. These prices will be devastating for so many people and small businesses. »»
Lutke’s Housing Critique came in response to a Trudeau clip announcing 25% of reprisals out of $ 107 billion in American products and pushing policies targeting red states.
Shopify, the electronic commerce giant that Lutke co-founded in 2006, is worth around $ 150 billion. It is the largest technological company in Canada and the biggest startup of all time – and the second in the Royal Bank of Canada.
Lutke is worth about $ 10 billion – and is one of Canada’s richer people.
“Leadership is to do what is good, not to what is popular. And the return will lead to nothing good. America will increase the shoulders. Canada will decrease, ”added Lutke about Trudeau’s planned reprisals.
“It is simply the wrong choice in a space of possibility where many options have been available.”
Trudeau warned Canadians that difficult times are in advance in the middle of the trade war flowing with the United States.
Canada was the largest overall trading partner in America in 2023, with more than $ 900 billion in goods and services exchanged by the two countries.
Last year, the United States imported some $ 377 billion in Canada, while exporting $ 322 billion, according to US Census Bureau data.
Prices are ready to strike Canada, especially because about 75% of its exports go to the United States, while only 13% of American exports go to Canada.
The massive Trump against Canada also includes a rate rate of less than 10% on energy resources. For the context, in 2023, Canadian crude oil exports represented around 24% of American refinery production, according to data from the Energy Information Administration.
Trudeau, 53, who is about to remain PM until her liberal party Élise a new leader in March, went to Mar-A-Lago last November to meet Trump after the president elected to The time published the threat for the first time.
At the time, the outgoing Canadian leader tried to do well with Trump and dissuade him from following the pricing threat, which could wreak havoc on the economy of Canada.
The visit also agitated Canadian criticism who estimated that Trudeau looked weak.
Trump recognized that the prices “maybe (maybe (and maybe not!)” Will cause “some pain” on Sunday, but have argued that this decision “is worth the price that must be paid”.
The 47th president also explained himself about the United States to help Canada via its commercial policies.
“We pay hundreds of billions of dollars to subsidize Canada. For what? There is no reason. We don’t need anything as they have, ”he wrote on Truth Social. “Canada should become our 51st darling state. Much lower taxes, and much better military protection … and no price. »»
Trudeau and other Canadian leaders categorically rejected Trump’s reflections to make his neighbor a state.
Canada is about to organize elections in October.