1) Canada should stop playing defence on Trump’s tariff threat, minister says

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press

By Kelly Geraldine Malone, Jnaury 22, 2025

Canadian officials are adopting a different tone after President Donald Trump ordered a study of the United States’ trade relationship with Canada, pushing the threat of devastating tariffs down the road — temporarily.

“We need to move from a defensive position to offensive in the sense that we have a lot of good things to put on the table in that discussion,” Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said at the cabinet retreat in Montebello, Que., on Tuesday.

Trump signed the America First Trade Policy after his return to the Oval Office Monday evening, providing Ottawa with some insights into his tariff agenda after months of political anxiety.

The memorandum orders multiple federal agencies to study trade policies and trade deficits. It directs the secretary of commerce and the secretary of homeland security to assess migration and fentanyl flows from Canada, Mexico and China and recommends “appropriate trade and national security measures to resolve that emergency.”

It also signalled the U.S. trade representative to start consultations around the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement and “make recommendations regarding the United States’ participation in the agreement.”

The move ostensibly gives Canada more time and information to safeguard against Trump’s promised 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs.

But Trump wasn’t backing away, repeatedly suggesting he might hit Canada and Mexico with the tariffs on Feb. 1. It’s not clear if that date holds any significance; Trump’s order says that the report on trade with Canada is not due until April 1.

Kirsten Hillman, Canada’s ambassador to the U.S., said the memorandum provides Canadian officials with a framework and key department contacts to allow them to make the case against the tariffs.

“We have now moved from a more abstract discussion with the Trump administration to a very concrete discussion,” Hillman said at the cabinet retreat. “That document lays out priorities, it lays out areas of study that are very important to him for his fulfilment of his trade and economic agenda. It’s very detailed.”

Trump remains concerned about America’s border security, Hillman said. She cautioned people not to focus on Trump’s choice of words, which included calling Canada “a very bad abuser” in relation to migrants and illegal drugs crossing into the United States.

It is a distraction tactic, she said, and Canada should instead look to where Trump’s priorities intersect with those of Canada in areas like energy, trade and Arctic security.

Some officials and experts have suggested the damaging duties are part of Trump’s strategy to rattle Canada and Mexico ahead of a mandatory 2026 review of the trilateral trade pact. 

The negotiation of CUSMA, commonly dubbed “the new NAFTA,” took place during Trump’s first administration. During those negotiations, the Republican president also promised massive tariffs on the Canadian auto sector — which never materialized — and put duties on steel and aluminum.

When questioned by reporters Tuesday evening, Trump denied the recent threat of tariffs was part of a plan to expedite negotiations of the agreement, saying “it has nothing to do with that.”

“Both of them, Canada very much so, they’ve allowed millions and millions of people to come into our country that shouldn’t be here,” Trump said, also claiming the volume of fentanyl coming through Canada was “massive.”

U.S. Customs and Border Protection has reported that nearly 10,000 kilograms of fentanyl was seized at American borders between October 2023 to September 2024 but only 20 kilograms of that was at the Canada-U.S. border. During the same time frame, 2.9 million people were apprehended and less than 200,000 came from Canada.

The debate over Canada’s options for retaliatory tariffs has opened up divisions among federal and provincial leaders.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford initially suggested cutting off energy flows to the U.S. but has since appeared on American news programs promoting a “Fortress Am-Can” strategy intended to deepen the resource alliance between the two countries.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith caused controversy last week when she refused to endorse a joint statement with the other premiers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau that said every possible countermeasure would be on the table.

Premier Smith, who was in Washington for Trump’s inauguration, said Monday that Canada can form a “perfect partnership” with the U.S. to provide oil and gas at stable prices, allowing the Americans to focus on boosting their own energy exports.

Trudeau will meet virtually with premiers Wednesday.

While the prime minister said again Tuesday that every retaliatory option remains on the table, his ministers and Hillman have turned their focus to how Canada can support some of the Trump administration’s goals.

Champagne, who attended Trump’s swearing-in ceremony on Capitol Hill Monday, said he reminded American lawmakers and leaders of the role Canada plays in supply chain resiliency, particularly for the critical minerals and semiconductors needed by the defence sector.

“Let’s not look at threats but opportunities,” he said.

“I don’t know anything that the Americans buy from Canada by politeness,” he added. “They buy from Canada because they need it.”

2) (Update)Trudeau says ‘everything is on the table’ to respond to Trump tariffs

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press,

By Sarah Ritchie and Kyle Duggan, Jan. 21, 2025

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reached for a sales pitch instead of revealing any of his cards in his first public reply to U.S. President Donald Trump’s suggestion that Canadian imports could face heavy tariffs as early as next week.

Trudeau insisted Tuesday that if Trump wants to usher in what he calls a “golden age” for the United States, he’ll need the energy, critical minerals and resources that Canada is ready to provide.

“We are there to be constructive partners,” Trudeau said at a federal cabinet retreat in Montebello, Que. that’s focused on the Canada-U. S. trade strategy.

While Trump had been threatening to impose punishing tariffs on Canada on his first day in office, he opted instead on inauguration day to announce a plan to study alleged unfair trade practices.

The president signed an executive order directing that the study be completed by April 1. But late Monday evening, as he signed that executive order and others, Trump mused about giving the Canadian and Mexican economies a black eye with damaging tariffs on Feb. 1.

“We are thinking in terms of 25 per cent on Mexico and Canada because they are allowing vast numbers of people — Canada is a very bad abuser also — vast numbers of people to come in and fentanyl to come in,” he told reporters at the White House.

Canada’s Ambassador to the U.S. Kirsten Hillman said Trump’s bluster is part of his overall strategy of generating “distraction” as he seeks leverage.

“Canadians know the facts. There is no criminal trafficking of fentanyl to the United States from Canada,” she said.

Trudeau also pushed back on Trump’s claim, saying less than one per cent of the fentanyl and migrants entering the U.S. come from Canada. He also boasted about the $1.3 billion his Liberal government has pumped into border security to appease Trump.

But that border security plan — which includes the deployment of dozens of new drones that Public Safety Minister David McGuinty said Ottawa has bought from the U.S. — has not convinced the president to stand down.

Trudeau said Trump will be focused on moving quickly in the “extreme short term” and he suggested Ottawa is crafting its messaging to respond to that sense of urgency.

But he acknowledged there’s no telling what Trump will do or say next.

“There is always going to be a certain amount of unpredictability and rhetoric coming out from this administration,” Trudeau said.

The prime minister said his government’s focus is still on avoiding tariffs. If that effort doesn’t succeed, he said, Canada will respond and “everything is on the table.”

“Our response will be robust and rapid and measured, but very strong. The goal will be to get those tariffs off as quickly as possible,” Trudeau said.

Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc said Monday that Ottawa is preparing responses to various possible scenarios, though he did not shed any light on what they might be.

Speaking on Quebec talk radio Tuesday, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said Trump only respects a show of force and Trudeau isn’t capable of providing that.

“We need a prime minister who is able to regain control and show strength to the Americans in order to avoid these tariffs,” he said in French.

In a statement, Poilievre also demanded Trudeau recall Parliament so MPs can debate the proposed border plan and retaliatory tariffs.

Parliament is on pause as the Liberal party prepares to hold a March 9 leadership vote to replace Trudeau. It is set to return March 24. Retaliatory tariffs do not specifically require legislation.

Speaking to the Canadian Labour Congress in Toronto, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Canada should amp up the pressure by blocking critical mineral exports to the U.S.

“One of the best buds of the president, Elon Musk, needs those critical minerals for his batteries, so let’s hit them where it counts,” Singh said.

Both leaders are champing at the bit for an election but cannot force one until the end of March at the earliest because of the parliamentary pause.

The exact timeline for Trump’s tariffs would depend on how he decides to go about implementing them. The process typically takes months, but pressing ahead on those border security concerns could allow him to declare emergency tariffs.

Trump also could change his mind at any point and even reapply pressure later on to extract further concessions. Canada typically holds a month-long industry consultation period before imposing tariffs of its own.

Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said senior Canadian officials have been busy south of the border, aggressively making the case to key governors that Americans don’t buy things from Canada out of politeness, but out of necessity.

“These supply chains have been created over decades and you cannot replace them easily in time,” he said.

“If you say no to Canada — and I said that to a number of military personnel yesterday — be mindful of who you’re saying yes to. You’re probably saying yes to China on critical minerals, you’re probably saying yes to Venezuela on crude oil.”

-With files from David Baxter in Ottawa

3) Donald Trump signals 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports could be coming Feb. 1

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press

By Kelly Geraldine Malone, January 20, 2025

United States President Donald Trump suggested he is looking at Feb.1 as the day he plans to slap Canada and Mexico with 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs after he returned to the White House on Monday evening to sign a stack of unrelated executive orders. 

“We are thinking in terms of 25 per cent on Mexico and Canada because they are allowing vast number of people, Canada is a very bad abuser also, vast numbers of people to come in and fentanyl to come in,” told reporters Monday night.

The February date comes after Trump officials, speaking anonymously, suggested to reporters that the Republican president would only sign a memorandum telling federal agencies to study trade issues, including alleged unfair trade and currency practices by Canada, Mexico and China.

Trump also said he may consider imposing a universal tariff on all countries.

“We’re not ready for that yet,” Trump said. “Essentially all countries take advantage of the U.S.”

In his Monday speech in the Capitol Rotunda, Trump focused largely on concerns about immigration at the Mexican border and touched on prosecutions of himself and his supporters. Suggesting he still has an eye on tariffs, Trump said he was going to overhaul the trade system to protect American workers and families.

“Instead of taxing our citizens to enrich other countries, we will tariff and tax foreign countries to enrich our citizens,” he said during his inaugural address.

Federal and provincial officials in Washington were relieved that tariffs on Canadian goods were not part of Trump’s inaugural speech and were not on a list of policy priorities the White House released Monday.

But many said Canada can’t afford to be complacent ahead of what could be a brutal hit to the economy.

“It’s always good news when you’re not mentioned, so I prefer that,” said Liberal MP John McKay, who co-chairs the Canada-U.S. interparliamentary group.

In an interview inside the Canadian embassy in Washington, McKay said Ottawa has an opportunity to establish “an agreed upon set of facts, as opposed to nonsense which is currently occupying the public space.”

Trump has insisted for weeks that Washington is subsidizing Canada at an annual rate of $100 billion, a claim McKay called “just nonsense.”

Trade Minister Mary Ng sought to reassure Canadians earlier Monday, saying that Ottawa and the provinces have taken a Team Canada approach to convincing Americans that tariffs and restrictions on Canadian goods would only hurt U.S. jobs.

“We are ready and we are prepared,” Ng said.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she saw opportunity for Canada in Trump’s speech when he said he would “declare a national energy emergency” to drive down prices at the pump and “export American energy all over the world.”

Smith said Canada can form a “perfect partnership” with the U.S. to provide oil and gas at stable prices, so the Americans can focus on boosting their own energy exports.

“Americans want to have energy dominance globally, and I believe the best way for them to achieve that is for Canada to be a partner in that,” she said.

“If their asks are reasonable, then let’s meet them halfway.”

In a statement issued Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau congratulated Trump on his inauguration and cited Canada’s efforts to secure the border in response to the Republican leader’s demands for a crackdown on migrants and drugs.

“We are strongest when we work together,” Trudeau wrote.

“I look forward to working with President Trump, his administration, members of the United States Congress, and officials at the state and local levels to deliver prosperity for our peoples — while protecting and defending the interests of Canadians.”

When asked who would be his first foreign meeting, Trump said he’d already had meetings. He pointed to Trudeau, making a repeated jab about making Canada the 51st state by calling him a governor. 

Trump delivered his oath of office inside the U.S. Capitol after cold weather moved the planned ceremony indoors. 

Tech billionaires, world leaders, celebrities and athletes were among those watching Trump give his inaugural address. The crowd included three of the richest men in the world — Elon Musk, Mark Zuckerberg and Jeff Bezos.

Outside, thousands of people wearing Trump tuques and hats braved the frigid weather near the Capitol One Arena, where Trump spoke later after his inaugural address.

Kenneth Johnson, visiting the capital from Boulder City, Nev., said he believes Trump will stop other countries from “taking advantage” of the U.S. and bring down the cost of groceries.

“We’re getting rid of the corruption. We’re getting rid of the baloney,” he said, citing President Joe Biden’s last-minute pardon of administration officials who might face retribution from Trump.

“Our nation’s going to be back under control,” Johnson said.

Daniel Blake travelled from Connecticut to take in the moment and celebrate with others excited about the promise of smaller government.

“We basically waste our taxpayer money, so I’m excited about that,” he said.

Monday’s inauguration presented a scene quite different from Trump’s first inauguration in 2017, when he painted a bleak picture of what he called “American carnage” — a speech that was overshadowed in the news cycle by his claims about crowd sizes.

The celebrations also offered a stark contrast to the nature of Trump’s departure from the nation’s capital four years ago. In the wake of the Jan. 6 Capitol Hill attack, Trump refused to accept the outcome of the 2020 election and skipped Biden’s inauguration.

Biden and his vice-president Kamala Harris, as well as former presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton, were in attendance on Monday inside the rotunda, as was Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne.

Other Canadian politicians who travelled to Washington, including Ng and Smith, attended an event at the Canadian Embassy, which sits on Pennsylvania Avenue between the U.S. Capitol and the White House.

Last week, Smith refused to sign a joint statement with other premiers and Trudeau that said every possible countermeasure would be on the table to push back against U.S. tariffs.

Smith, who recently travelled to Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida to meet with the president-elect, broke from the pack by refusing to consider any plan that would include possible levies on oil exports or cutting off energy supplies to the U.S.

— With files from Dylan Robertson and Catherine Morrison in Ottawa and The Associated Press

4) (Update)Trump’s team indicates he won’t hit Canada with tariffs on his first day in office;

Courtesy Barrie360.com and Canadian Press

By Kyle Duggan and Anja Karadeglija, January 20, 2024

U.S. President Donald Trump’s team is indicating he won’t hit Canada with damaging tariffs on his inauguration day.

Shortly before Trump was sworn into office Monday, an incoming White House official who insisted on anonymity pointed reporters to a Wall Street Journal report that said Trump plans to sign an executive order launching an investigation into alleged unfair trade and currency practices by Canada, Mexico and China.

In November, Trump threatened to hit Canada with steep 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs in an executive order on his first day back in office.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said repeatedly that Canada is ready to respond with countermeasures if Trump makes good on that threat. Trudeau issued a statement congratulating Trump shortly after his swearing-in.

“We are strongest when we work together, and I look forward to working with President Trump, his administration, members of the United States Congress, and officials at the state and local levels to deliver prosperity for our peoples – while protecting and defending the interests of Canadians,” Trudeau said in the statement.

Two federal government sources who were not authorized to speak publicly about details of the federal counter-tariff plan say the government is waiting to see what Trump does before revealing its response.

The federal government has promised to pump $1.3 billion in new resources into border security over the next six years in the hopes of convincing Trump not to impose tariffs.

Trump initially tied the tariffs to concerns about border security but later seemed more concerned with the trade imbalance between Canada and the U.S.

As Trump begins his second term as president, federal cabinet ministers are gathering in Montebello, Que., Monday and Tuesday to discuss the tariff threat.

Prime Minister Trudeau met with the country’s 13 premiers last Wednesday to discuss possible retaliatory actions. At the end of those meetings, he and 12 premiers released a statement pledging to present a united front to their American counterparts.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith opted out, saying she could not support any retaliation plan that included measures affecting oil and gas.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Monday the tariff threat still needs to be taken seriously, despite the news that Trump is expected to hold off.

“He’s just adding more uncertainty, (saying) ‘I may not do it today, I’ll do it tomorrow. Maybe I’ll do it in a month.’ That doesn’t help,” Ford told CityNews. “So we’re going to take him serious.”

The head of Canada’s largest private-sector union said she’s skeptical of the reports saying Trump won’t proceed with tariffs, given how he imposed tariffs during his first administration.

“No one should be breathing a sigh of relief at all right now,” Unifor president Lana Payne said Monday morning.

Payne said the “constant threat of tariffs” undermines investment and constantly puts Canada’s economy in danger. She said the solution is to invest in industrial plans for Canadian manufacturing, put supports in place to prepare for job losses and collaborate across political parties, business and organized labour.

“We have to come together in a profound way over the next four years to make sure that we’re guarding against any future threat, but also making sure that we’ve got our act together in Canada,” she said. “It’s not going to stop here. The demands are going to grow.”

While Trump vowed during the election campaign to introduce broad tariffs, a new poll suggests there is limited support for them among Americans.

An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research survey found almost half of U.S. adults oppose putting tariffs on all goods brought into the U.S. from other countries — more than were in favour or were neutral on the question.

— With files from Dylan Robertson and Kelly Geraldine Malone in Washington, and from The Associated Press

5) Biden pardons Fauci and Milley in an effort to guard against potential ‘revenge’ by Trump

Courtesy Barrie360.com and The Associated Press

By Colleen Long And Zeke Miller, January 20, 2025

President Joe Biden on Monday pardoned Dr. Anthony Fauci, retired Gen. Mark Milley and members of the House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol, in an extraordinary use of the powers of the presidency in his final hours to guard against potential “revenge” by the incoming Trump administration.

The decision by Biden comes after Donald Trump warned of an enemies list filled with those who have crossed him politically or sought to hold him accountable for his attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss and his role in the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Trump has selected Cabinet nominees who backed his election lies and who have pledged to punish those involved in efforts to investigate him.

“The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that any individual engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense,” Biden said in a statement. “Our nation owes these public servants a debt of gratitude for their tireless commitment to our country.”

The pardons, announced with just hours left in Biden’s presidency, have been the subject of heated debate for months at the highest levels of the White House. It’s customary for a president to grant clemency at the end of his term, but those acts of mercy are usually offered to Americans who have been convicted of crimes.

Biden, a Democrat, has used the power in the broadest and most untested way possible: to pardon those who have not even been investigated. His decision lays the groundwork for an even more expansive use of pardons by Trump, a Republican, and future presidents.

While the Supreme Court last year ruled that presidents enjoy broad immunity from prosecution for what could be considered official acts, the president’s aides and allies enjoy no such shield. There is concern that future presidents could use the promise of a blanket pardon to encourage allies to take actions they might otherwise resist for fear of running afoul of the law.

It’s unclear whether those pardoned by Biden would need to apply for the clemency or accept the president’s offer. Acceptance could be seen as a tacit admission of guilt or wrongdoing, validating years of attacks by Trump and his supporters, even though those who have been pardoned have not been formally accused of any crimes.

“These are exceptional circumstances, and I cannot in good conscience do nothing,” Biden said, adding that “Even when individuals have done nothing wrong — and in fact have done the right thing — and will ultimately be exonerated, the mere fact of being investigated or prosecuted can irreparably damage reputations and finances.”

Fauci was director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health for nearly 40 years, including during Trump’s term in office, and later served as Biden’s chief medical adviser until his retirement in 2022. He helped coordinate the nation’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and raised Trump’s ire when he resisted Trump’s untested public health notions. Fauci has since become a target of intense hatred and vitriol from people on the right, who blame him for mask mandates and other policies they believe infringed on their rights, even as hundreds of thousands of people were dying.

“Despite the accomplishments that my colleagues and I achieved over my long career of public service, I have been the subject of politically-motivated threats of investigation and prosecution,” Fauci said in a statement. “There is absolutely no basis for these threats. Let me be perfectly clear: I have committed no crime.”

Milley, a former chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has called Trump a fascist and has detailed Trump’s conduct around the deadly Jan. 6 insurrection. He said he was grateful to Biden for a pardon.

“I do not wish to spend whatever remaining time the Lord grants me fighting those who unjustly might seek retribution for perceived slights,” he said in a statement. “I do not want to put my family, my friends, and those with whom I served through the resulting distraction, expense, and anxiety.”

Biden also extended pardons to members and staff of the Jan. 6 committee that investigated the attack, as well as the U.S. Capitol and D.C. Metropolitan police officers who testified before the House committee about their experiences that day, overrun by an angry, violent mob of Trump supporters.

The committee spent 18 months investigating Trump and the insurrection. It was led by Rep. Bennie Thompson, D-Miss., and Rep. Liz Cheney, a Wyoming Republican who later pledged to vote for Democrat Kamala Harris and campaigned with her against Trump. The committee’s final report found that Trump criminally engaged in a “multi-part conspiracy” to overturn the lawful results of the 2020 presidential election and failed to act to stop his supporters from attacking the Capitol.

“Rather than accept accountability,” Biden said, “those who perpetrated the January 6th attack have taken every opportunity to undermine and intimidate those who participated in the Select Committee in an attempt to rewrite history, erase the stain of January 6th for partisan gain, and seek revenge, including by threatening criminal prosecutions.”

Biden’s statement did not list the dozens of members and staff by name. Some did not know they were to receive pardons until it happened, according to a person familiar with the matter who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.

Biden, an institutionalist, has promised a smooth transition to the next administration, inviting Trump to the White House and saying that the nation will be OK, even as he warned during his farewell address of a growing oligarchy. He has spent years warning that Trump’s ascension to the presidency again would be a threat to democracy. His decision to break with political norms was brought on by those concerns.

Biden has set the presidential record for most individual pardons and commutations issued. He also pardoned his son Hunter.

He is not the first to consider such preemptive pardons. Trump aides considered them for Trump and his supporters involved in his failed efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election that culminated in the violent riot at the Capitol. But Trump’s pardons never materialized before he left office four years ago.

President Gerald Ford granted a “full, free, and absolute pardon” in 1974 to his predecessor, Richard Nixon, over the Watergate scandal.

Trump, who takes office at noon, has promised to grant swift clemency to many of those involved in the violent and bloody Jan. 6, 2021, attack, which injured roughly 140 law enforcement officers. “Everybody in this very large arena will be very happy with my decision,” he said at a Sunday rally.

6) Just minutes before he leaves office, Biden pardons his siblings and their spouses

Courtesy Barrie360.com and The Associated Press

By Zeke Miller And Colleen Long, January 20, 2025

President Joe Biden on Monday pardoned his siblings and their spouses, saying his family had been “subjected to unrelenting attacks and threats, motivated solely by a desire to hurt me — the worst kind of partisan politics.”

“Unfortunately, I have no reason to believe these attacks will end,” he said. He issued a slew of pardons and commutations in the moments before leaving office, including for aides and allies that have been targeted by Donald Trump. None have been charged with any crimes.

Last month, he pardoned his son, Hunter for tax and gun crimes.

Biden issued blanket pardons for his brother James and his wife, Sara, his sister Valerie and her husband, John Owens, and his brother Francis.

“The issuance of these pardons should not be mistaken as an acknowledgment that they engaged in any wrongdoing, nor should acceptance be misconstrued as an admission of guilt for any offense,” he said in a statement.

The pardons came as Biden and others stood at the U.S. Capitol to see Trump inaugurated.