PRIME Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday convened the first meeting of the newly established Council on Canada-U.S. Relations, which comprises leaders in business, innovation, and policy to advice him and Cabinet on issues related to relations between the two countries, including the threat of tariffs.
During the meeting, Trudeau and Council members highlighted the strong and successful relationship between Canada and the U.S. The two countries are steadfast allies and partners, with the world’s most comprehensive trading partnership, which supports millions of jobs on both sides of the border.
Trudeau underscored the importance of building on this relationship and highlighted the economic benefits for the two countries. He also reiterated the harm that the proposed U.S. tariffs would have on both Canadian and American consumers and businesses. Council members reinforced the potential economic and social impacts these tariffs could have and discussed options to minimize their effect.
The Prime Minister outlined the full range of possible measures being considered by the federal government to ensure a robust response and protect Canadians. He highlighted the Team Canada efforts underway with provinces and territories to strengthen Canada’s relationship with the U.S. and protect Canadian investment and jobs.
Trudeau also highlighted the actions Canada has undertaken to strengthen border security and immigration, as part of the recently announced $1.3 billion border action plan. Council members shared their perspectives and offered advice to support the government’s ongoing work on Canada-U.S. relations.