A room full of concerned stakeholders met with Premier Andrew Furey, and other government representatives today as the threat of significant US Tariffs looms.
The 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods imported into the United states could come as early as Saturday.
Anxious industry and community leaders filled the room as they discussed possible paths forward.
Several key messages have emerged from the talks.
The discussions revolved around the need to expand and accelerate trade with other international trading partners, supporting Team Canada collaboration – particularly around procurement, and working with Ottawa on preparing supports for families and businesses.
On the latter, Furey says he would like to see something similar to the COVID relief that was utilized years ago.
They also highlighted the need to support local business and buy local products – with the province planning to roll out a campaign to that effect.
President of the Federation of Labour, Jessica McCormick, met with Furey to discuss next steps if the tariffs are put in place.
She says the concerns are real, adding industry, labour and government all have to be ready.
“President Trump’s messaging keeps changing,” says McCormick, “but we need to be prepared for whatever comes to support workers and their families.”
Meanwhile, a C.B.S.-based beef farmer is very concerned about the potential tariffs being imposed on Canadian products.
Nelson Fagan Jr of Foxtrap says the impact will be felt across the Canadian agricultural industry.
“Alberta ships a lot down to Montana, then there’s Pennsylvania for the dairy industy, and of course it’s packaged down there and shipped back up,” he said. “So if we get tariffed on that, it’s really going to hurt and prices are going to go up.
“Or maybe they won’t bring up so much and it will flood the Canadian beef market and it will have to processed in Canadian abatoirs and put on Canadian shelves.”
Fagan noted they also export to other countries such as Taiwan, and many others, but he acknowledged their biggest trading partner remains the United States.