Tariffs will drastically increase the cost of everything for everyone: every day these tariffs are in place hurts families, communities, and businesses.
President Trump’s profoundly disturbing decision to impose tariffs will have immediate and direct consequences on Canadian and American livelihoods. Tariffs will drastically increase the cost of everything for everyone: every day these tariffs are in place hurts families, communities, and businesses.
Canada has been a safe, secure and reliable trading partner to the U.S. for decades. Whether it’s our crude oil that is practically perfect for the North American autos we build together, the potash that supports the agriculture that feeds America, or the critical minerals and other inputs that go into everyday essentials like washing machines and refrigerators, America needs Canada. Our supply chains are so deeply integrated that you can’t unwind them overnight. They are integrated not simply because we get along as neighbours, but because it makes sense financially for businesses and consumers on both sides of the border.
Which is why if President Trump truly wanted to bring down costs for Americans, he would be looking at strengthening our trade ties, not tearing them apart. This decision makes no sense when the majority of Americans oppose tariffs, when it harms businesses and workers on both sides of the border, and when the U.S. stock market is signaling that there’s no appetite for disruption.
Right now, job number one for Canada is providing security to the Canadian families, communities and businesses that are rightly scared by the consequences of President Trump’s self-defeating measures.
Until we can make President Trump and U.S. decision makers understand the enormity of the Canada-U.S. relationship, Canada needs to focus on what we can control here at home to build a more resilient economy and restore as much stability to Canadians as possible. If we can’t trade south, let’s diversify our trading partners and dismantle unnecessary internal trade barriers to keep goods and services flowing north, east, and west. A strong, united, and competitive Canadian economy will thrive no matter what gets thrown our way.
- Candace Laing, President and CEO, Canadian Chamber of Commerce