Trudeau Urges Trump to Reconsider Canadian Tariffs Amid Border Tensions

TORONTO (AP) — Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has urged U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to reconsider plans for sweeping tariffs on Canadian imports, warning that such measures would harm both economies. The appeal was made during a dinner at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort, attended by Canadian Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who provided details of the meeting on Monday. Trump has threatened to impose a 25% tariff on goods from Canada and Mexico if the countries fail to address what he describes as significant issues with drug and migrant flows across their borders with the U.S. He reiterated his stance on social media last week, framing the tariffs as a priority for his administration’s early executive actions. LeBlanc emphasized in Parliament that Trudeau’s focus was not only on protecting Canada’s economy but also on highlighting the potential negative impact of the tariffs on American affordability and economic stability. “We made it clear that these tariffs could have far-reaching consequences on both sides of the border,” LeBlanc stated. Trudeau's proactive engagement aims to demonstrate the distinct nature of the U.S.-Canada border compared to the southern U.S. border with Mexico, hoping to prevent the implementation of economically damaging tariffs.