Premier Andrew Furey believes all premiers are resolved to take a Team Canada approach to incoming US President Donald Trump’s threats of a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods exported to the US.
The premier joined with Chrystia Freeland and his counterparts from across the country in a meeting with the Prime Minister last night.
He says all premiers share the same sense of concern over the potential impact should Trump make good on trade penalties.
“There was an agreement that there should be a unified approach,” says Furey, “and not to let any strategy by the incoming President to divide the country for negotiating purposes.”
Fishing industry very concerned
Trump made the tariff pronouncement on his Truth Social site last week, sending ripples of concern right across Canada – the United States’ largest trade partner.
Ninety per cent of the crab caught in Newfoundland and Labrador is shipped to the US. That’s why conversation with the provincial and federal governments is so important says Executive Director of the Association of Seafood Producers, Jeff Loder.
He calls it the ‘weaponization of trade,’ and that’s why trade diversification is so important.
Loder also expects the provincial and federal governments to defend market access, paid for in trade negotiations.
“We are heavily reliant on the US market for logical, practical trade reasons. It’s a consumer market and that’s not going to change fundamentally; we’re always going to be somewhat dependent on the US market, but we need to be dependent on other markets as well,” says Loder.
He calls the current trade world “very challenging. In a way it’s sort of the weaponization of trade. It’s not just the United States, we would expect, down the road, if this is the direction we’re going to see other markets do it, so it’s all hands on deck.”
Labour fears possible tariffs will harm workers
The Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour says the tariff has the potential of hurting a lot of workers and consumers on both sides of the border.
President Jessica McCormack says it’s important for everyone, including federal and provincial politicians, to be on the same page.
“We want to avoid this becoming a political football, so it’s important that all candidates in upcoming elections understand that we have a calm and organized approach. That goes for the federal government as well because there will be an election next year.”
