Toronto/CMEDIA: Reviving one of his most pointed insults toward Canada, the US Pres Donald Trump called Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney “governor” and threatened to slam the country with a 100 percent tariff over its growing ties with China.
With relations between Canada and the US continuing to deteriorate, the remark renewed a familiar taunt Trump previously used against the former prime minister Justin Trudeau.
Trump accused Carney in a post to Truth Social, of trying to turn Canada into a “Drop off port” for Chinese exports into the US.
A trade deal between Canada and China was announced during Carney’s recent trip to Beijing last week, exchanging reduced tariffs and quotas for Chinese electric vehicles in Canada for the lifting of China’s tariffs on Canadian agricultural products.
The US has currently a 35 percent tariff on all Canadian imports that do not comply with CUSMA “rules of origin” requirements and a 50 percent tariff on steel and aluminum imports, among others.
“If Governor Carney thinks he is going to make Canada a ‘Drop Off Port’ for China to send goods and products into the United States, he is sorely mistaken,” Trump wrote.
“China will eat Canada alive, completely devour it, including the destruction of their businesses, social fabric, and general way of life. If Canada makes a deal with China, it will immediately be hit with a 100% Tariff against all Canadian goods and products coming into the U.S.A. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Echoing Trump’s past habit of referring to Trudeau as “governor,” this nudge is widely used alongside his claims of making Canada the 51st state.
Until then, Trump had avoided using the same label for Carney.
Carney’s trade minister rejects Trump’s threat
Responding quickly, Carney’s trade minister, Dominic LeBlanc said that Canada is not pursuing a free trade agreement with China.
“There is no pursuit of a free trade deal with China. What was achieved was resolution on several important tariff issues,” LeBlanc said in a statement posted on X.
LeBlanc also said that Canada remains focused on the Canada-U.S. “remarkable partnership” in both economic and security terms.
“As the Prime Minister said this week, Canada and the United States have built a remarkable partnership in our economy and security — and we will remain focused on ensuring the future of that relationship will benefit workers and businesses on both sides of our border,” he said.
Canada’s new government is focused on strengthening the domestic economy, LeBlanc added, while expanding Canada’s global trade relationships.
A relationship growing sour after Davos
Also read: Trump disinvites Canada from Board of Peace in open letter to Carney
Trump’s latest threat comes just days after the Trump administration disinvited Canada from the Board of Peace, a US-led initiative intended to oversee the reconstruction of Gaza following years of conflict in the region.
Following Carney’s urging middle powers to band together as larger ones increasingly use economic coercion to exert pressure that the old-world order is dead, Howard Lutnick, the US Commerce Secretary accused Carney of making “political noise” at the World Economic Forum in Davos.
New ties with China
The dispute is unfolding as Canada moves to deepen its economic ties with Beijing.
Canada and China announced Just last week a series of agreements aimed at boosting bilateral trade and investment.
A deal to lower tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles was also negotiated by Canada in exchange for reduced import taxes on Canadian farm products.
China could ‘take over’ Canada, says Trump
Framing Canada’s relationship with Beijing as “the last thing the world needs,” Trump escalated his rhetoric in a separate post.
“The last thing the World needs is to have China take over Canada. It’s NOT going to happen, or even come close to happening!” Trump wrote. “Thank you for your attention to this matter. President DONALD J. TRUMP.”
“Canada will never be taken over”: Wab Kinew
Responding to Trump’s comments, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, rejected both the US president’s rhetoric and the idea that Canada’s sovereignty is up for debate.
“Canada will never be taken over. Not by China. Not by Trump. We will always be the TRUE NORTH strong and free,” Kinew wrote on social media.
David Eby backs Carney
With tensions with Washington continuing to rise, David Eby, British Columbia Premier also offered his support to Carney
“You’re on the right path, Mark. Canada must stand on our own two feet. British Columbia has your back,” Eby wrote in a post on social media.
