Canada must look beyond the United States so that it can go through a “difficult” four years under the American president Donald Trump – And potentially, in the longer term too, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Friday.
Speaking when opening the Canada-US commercial summit in Toronto, Trudeau said that Canadians had a lot of “strategic reflection” to do in the coming days, “to see not only how we are going through this particular challenge Over the next 30 days or a few months “, but” strengthen over the next four years and in what can be a more difficult long-term political situation with the United States. “”
The plan of American president Donald Trump to impose radical prices this week was paused until March 4.
This imminent threat and the volatility of its administration have many commercial and employee managers urging Canada to seek alternative trade partners and means of strengthening internal trade in order to mitigate the coup that the prices would have on the economy and workers from Canada.
Trudeau called at the end of interprorcal trade barriers which make it difficult for the Canadian provinces to negotiate each other with each other.
“It is time that we have an authentic free trade in Canada,” said Trudeau at the top, who is assisted by business leaders and work, indigenous leaders and public policy experts.
“(There are) a lot of obstacles that just don’t make sense. But that will force us all, not only governments, but also business leaders, to intensify and push strongly and ensure that at the moment, we are actually advancing on free trade in Canada ”, -It declared.
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The Prime Minister also spoke of finding international commercial partnerships outside the United States.
“We have a free trade agreement with Europe that has seen, opportunities have been developing considerably in recent years. But can we do even more? Can we examine, diversify our supply chains so that we also have these international opportunities? »»
The federal government is host a summit in Toronto Friday aimed at strengthening the economy in the face of Canada’s rapid relations with its largest trading partner.
This imminent threat and the volatility of its administration have many commercial and employee managers urging Canada to seek alternative trade partners and means of strengthening internal trade.
The summit is organized by the new government advisory council on Canadian relations in the United States and includes business and labor leaders, Aboriginal managers and experts in public policy.
Flavio Volpe, member of the Advisory Council and President of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers Association, says that he hopes that the meeting is only the beginning of something bigger.
He says that Canada is confronted with “the most serious industrial threat that we have ever confronted” and that the moment calls for a collective effort similar to what happened at the start of the COVVI-19 pandemic.
“It is important that it is not a photo session, that it is not a talking session, that it is not the only time we meet,” he said.
Representatives of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and Canadian Manufacturing and Exporters will assist, as is the National Chief of the First Nations Assembly.
Drew Dilkins, the mayor of Windsor, Ontario, said that this type of meeting can help guarantee that different levels of government and the private sector “brought back in the same direction”.
“It is really important to align with the facts because what is missing in all this conversation, at least from my point of view on the American side, is a fact,” he said.
He and other mayors of the border community created the Border Mayors Alliance in response to the pricing threat to defend on behalf of the cities that have the most to lose. But he said that this kind of basic action only works if everyone understands the approach.
Dilkins participated in a meeting of the Caucus Federation of the Great Mayors of Canadian Municipalities in Ottawa on Thursday, where prices and trade with the United States were the only subjects.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, during the opening remarks of the event, reiterated the need for a “Team Canada” approach.
He said that the country “more than fighting, we summon provincial and territorial leaders to do the vital work to break the barriers that hinder interprorvincial trade”.
This is precisely what Dennis Darby, president and chief executive officer of Canadian manufacturers and exporters, said he wanted to see in the long term.
Darby said he intended to tell the government that if prices are imposed, companies and workers will need help in the form of direct government compensation, tax relief or a salary subsidy.
Beyond that, he said, there are “structural problems within the Canadian economy that must be resolved”.
They include the need to facilitate the displacement of goods between the provinces – the trade which is undermined by a complicated regulatory environment – and to ensure that Canada benefits better from its commercial transactions with other countries.
“We will always exchange with the Americans, without a doubt,” said Volpe. “Can we count on them?”
– with Canadian press files
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