Winnipeg Free Press

Winnipeg Free Press (Newspaper) - February 13, 2025, Winnipeg, Manitoba TOP NEWS A3 THURSDAY FEBRUARY 13, 2024 ● ASSOCIATE EDITOR, NEWS: STACEY THIDRICKSON 204-697-7292 ● CITY.DESK@FREEPRESS.MB.CA ● WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM C ANADA’S 13 provincial and terri- torial leaders launched a “charm offensive” in the U.S. capital Wed- nesday to remind America of its deep ties to its northern neighbour, Wab Kinew told reporters ahead of a meet- ing at the White House. Manitoba’s premier said the nations’ friendship has “been the best in the world for decades and decades and we want to continue that for decades more.” Kinew travelled to Washington, D.C., as part of a group mission aimed at strengthening the links between the two countries before U.S. President Donald Trump imposes crippling tar- iffs next month on goods imported from Canada. In a livestreamed Wednesday-mor- ning news conference with the rest of the delegation, Kinew said although Canadians are tough, united and will stand up for their values, the leaders were not there to threaten retaliation. “The purpose of the trip here is not for us to come down and try to issue ul- timatums and things like that,” he said. “The purpose of the trip here is diplo- macy.” It’s the first time that all 13 of Can- ada’s premiers and territorial leaders have visited Washington, D.C., as part of a joint mission, said Council of the Federation chairman, Ontario Premier Doug Ford. In addition to a White House meeting with two senior Trump advisers — but not the president — the group met mem- bers of the U.S. Congress and business leaders to advocate for maintaining strong ties by addressing shared issues such as jobs and the economy, energy, critical mineral supply chains, border security and immigration. In a news release issued late Wed- nesday, the Council of the Federation said the premiers at the White House stressed the need to work together to avoid tariffs that would hurt workers on both sides of the border. “They also listened and learned about opportunities to work with the Trump administration to align on and achieve shared priorities, including creating jobs, growing economies and pro- tecting communities from the impact of fentanyl and other illegal drugs,” the release said. Kinew and the premiers met earlier in the day with pro-tariff Nebraska Re- publican Rep. Adrian Smith and New York Democrat congressman Tim Ken- nedy. Kennedy, who lives in the border city of Buffalo, N.Y., joined 60 fellow Democrats in signing a Feb. 3 letter urging the Trump administration to rescind the executive order imposing tariffs on Canadian goods. “Constituents in our districts are al- ready facing high energy prices and grocery store costs,” the letter said. “As hardworking families continue struggling with inflation, the last thing we should do is make the cost of living even more expensive.” On Tuesday evening, Kinew posted online a video of himself strolling with- out a coat or tuque as flurries fell on the U.S. capital. “We’re all a little puzzled by this talk of tariffs, but we’re still here with that warm and hearty handshake and, who knows, we might even help our friends shovel,” the premier quipped Wednes- day. carol.sanders@freepress.mb.ca CAROL SANDERS Premiers’ D.C. visit brings the snow and a reminder of longstanding friendship ‘No agreement Canada would not become 51st state’ A ‘warm and hearty’ handshake: Kinew BEN CURTIS / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew said the purpose of the group mission was diplomacy, and in particular trying to get tariffs off the table during the current pause. WASHINGTON — A top White House adviser said Canada becoming the 51st state remains a consideration follow- ing a meeting with premiers where the Canadian leaders were cautioned to take U.S. President Donald Trump at his word. The last-minute meeting with James Blair, deputy chief of staff, and Sergio Gor, director of the presidential per- sonnel office, provided an opportunity for premiers to make Canada’s case dir- ectly to top Trump aides. “They committed to share our mes- sage of willingness to engage and to work on key areas of agreement, and that Canada would never be the 51st state,” said British Columbia Premier David Eby as he left the White House on Wednesday. Blair posted on social media that the meeting with the premiers was pleas- ant. But, he said, “we never agreed that Canada would not be the 51st state. We only agreed to share Premier Eby’s comments.” “Further, we said the best way to understand President Trump’s position is to take what he says at face value,” Blair said. All 13 premiers descended on the United States capital this week for the first time ever. The diplomatic push re- flects rising alarm among Canadians about Trump’s unpredictable tariff strategy. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Wednesday’s meeting was “very con- structive.” Premiers were advised to continue conversations after key mem- bers are sworn in, including the presi- dent’s nominee to run the Commerce Department, Howard Lutnick, and Trump’s pick for top trade negotiator, Jamieson Greer. “We’re grateful. We listened. We communicated and we look forward to further conversations,” Ford said. Trump returned to the White House less than a month ago with a tariff agenda that could rapidly realign global trade. Canada has been unable to escape the geopolitical upheaval triggered by its closest neighbour and largest trading partner. Trump signed an order Monday that would impose 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports, includ- ing imports from Canada, on March 12. Those duties could come on top of across-the-board tariffs on all Can- adian imports, with a 10 per cent levy on Canadian energy, which were de- layed until at least March 4. A White House official confirmed that if both rounds of tariffs are imple- mented, the duties would stack on top of each other. That would mean a tariff of up to 50 per cent on Canadian steel and aluminum exports to the U.S. Trump told reporters in the Oval Office Wednesday that steel and alum- inum tariffs may increase further and claimed the duties will “level the play- ing field.” The president also indicated that an executive order for “reciprocal tar- iffs” will come this week. That would require that U.S. tariffs on imports match the tax rates charged by other countries. Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc was also in Washington Wednesday, where he was set to meet Lutnick and Trump’s economic policy adviser Kevin Hassett at the White House. LeBlanc insisted there’s still time to talk Trump out of launching a trade war. LeBlanc first met Lutnick in Nov- ember at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida after he and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau travelled there for a dinner with the president-elect just a few days after he made his initial tariff threat. “I’m not pessimistic,” LeBlanc told reporters ahead of the meeting. “I’m optimistic by nature. I’m encouraged by the conversations we’ve had with Mr. Lutnick.” Canada has promised to retaliate in kind if Trump moves on his promise of tariffs, and laid out a list of products that would be targeted after the presi- dent signed his initial executive order on duties on Feb. 1. Ottawa put those retaliatory tariffs on hold two days later when Trump agreed to pause his tariff threat for a month, and after Trudeau outlined Can- ada’s plan to ramp up border security and appoint a fentanyl czar. LeBlanc said Ottawa will not make the first move in a tariff war because it’s not a fight Canada wants. Trudeau — speaking in Brussels, where he was meeting with European Union leaders — said there is a third threat of even more tariffs landing April 1 coming out of the executive or- der Trump signed on inauguration day looking at economic and trade imbal- ances between the two countries. Trump has also floated the idea of taxing Canadian auto imports at be- tween 50 and 100 per cent. Provincial and territorial leaders remained optimistic Wednesday that diplomatic efforts can still push Trump away from implementing duties even as snowstorm forecasts compelled Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King and Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston to go home early. The premiers met with Republican and Democrat lawmakers before head- ing to the White House. New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt said they explained the negative impacts tariffs will have on both Canadians and Americans. “We’ve seen senators feel directly how it’s impacting their constituents and they have a lot of fear about the in- flation and the price impacts to come, should these tariffs come to pass,” Holt said. Experts have said that Trump’s tar- iff threats are likely a negotiating tac- tic meant to rattle Canada and Mexico ahead of a 2026 review of the trilateral continental trade pact. The Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement was negotiated to replace the North American Free Trade Agreement dur- ing the first Trump administration. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said she believed the president when he said the first tariff threats were about border security and fentanyl, and she thinks Canada’s actions should satisfy Trump’s concerns. “I think diplomacy is working,” Smith said. “I think that the fact that we got a 30-day reprieve was because we agreed to work on the cross-border problem of fentanyl.” Monday’s tariff order was about the trade agreement, Smith said. She said Canada needs a federal election soon so that it has a mandate to return to the negotiating table. “What I’ve seen from this president is he’s prepared to make a deal,” Smith said. — The Canadian Press ALEX BRANDON / THE ASSOCIATED PRESS All 13 premiers visited the U.S. capital but did not manage to meet with President Donald Trump. Messages will be passed along, an aide said. KELLY GERALDINE MALONE ;