From the Canadian Chamber of Commerce
WINNIPEG, MB—In recent days, President Trump’s tariff strategy shook markets, businesses, and communities. In response, President of the Canadian Chamber of Commerce Candace Laing will give a keynote today to a Manitoba Chamber of Commerce event, where she is calling for Canada’s leaders to do the unexpected: come together to collaborate and quickly deliver on a new, multipartisan all-in plan.
Her speech focuses on unity at this pivotal moment, including calling for leaders to reconvene Parliament so that all parties can address critical roadblocks that have left Canada too dependent on trade with the United States. Priorities for a multipartisan plan need to include:
Deliver on the promise of internal trade so that it’s easier to trade within Canada so that we can build Canada’s economy and resilience from within
Build, build, build so that modern trade infrastructure is ready to get goods overseas.
Reduce red tape so that we can build and build up businesses, without piled up paperwork holding us back.
Reduce taxation so that businesses can focus on competing globally while also diversifying trade relationships.
A plan that is incremental or siloed won’t rise to this challenge. We need governments, parties and businesses at all levels to boldly tackle it together. The Canadian Chamber and our Canadian Chamber Network stand ready across the country to do our part. Businesses have durable relationships, which will chart a secure, prosperous future, but Canada’s leaders need to get back in gear for it to work.
When Canadians and Americans see Parliament closed, they see a rudderless ship.
President Trump’s tariffs pause is no reason to go tools down. It’s a chance for us to accelerate our response. The fundamental state of the Canada-U.S. economic relationship is unlikely to return to normal anytime soon, and Canada should not sit idly by hoping it will.
“Today, the Canadian Chamber of Commerce is calling on the government to reconvene Parliament, and all parties to get back to work on behalf of Canadians,” said Laing. “We need to send a strong message to President Trump and the world that we will rise to this occasion, as a unified Canada. Tariffs tomorrow instead of tariffs today still leave businesses, workers and families in the lurch. $3.6 billion in trade every day hangs in the balance.”
“With Parliament reconvened, we can work together, government and business leaders, and build a multipartisan all-in plan that addresses the critical roadblocks that have until now left us far too dependent on trade with the United States,” she added.