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OTTAWA — Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned Canadians have been “extra united than ever” within the face of the specter of U.S. tariffs, which President Donald Trump agreed to pause for 30 days on Monday in alternate for further border measures.
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Talking at a Lunar New Yr reception in Ottawa, Trudeau mentioned the previous few weeks have been “difficult” however mentioned he was inspired to see Canadians step as much as help their native companies and communities within the face of 25 per cent U.S. tariffs.
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“That’s the easiest of Canada,” Trudeau informed the gang on Tuesday night. “We pull collectively after we’re confronted with challenges, and that’s what we’ve seen from coast to coast to coast. We’re extra aligned than ever. We’re extra united than ever.”
“We’ve collectively proven that when Canada’s pursuits are at risk, our political id not issues. There is just one workforce, that’s Workforce Canada,” he added.
The specter of crippling tariffs from their closest financial accomplice noticed Canadians ditch U.S. merchandise and firms to purchase Canadian-made merchandise, and a few cancelling their trip south of the border or booing the U.S. anthem throughout sports activities occasions.
Trudeau and Trump finally spoke two instances on Monday on the eve of the beginning of the tariffs. After their second dialog, Trump agreed to pause the tariffs till March 4.
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Trudeau mentioned that, on high of the $1.3 billion border plan introduced in December, Canada had agreed to implement extra measures to higher shield the border together with 10,000 frontline personnel and a “fentanyl czar” to coordinate the federal government’s actions.
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On Tuesday, Trump known as this a “short-term freeze” on the specter of tariffs in opposition to Canada and Mexico, which was additionally in his sights, and congratulated himself for forcing each nations to be “very sturdy on the border, stronger than they ever have been by far.”
“I imply the border is now closed, actually closed,” he informed reporters.
On the Lunar New Yr occasion, Trudeau mentioned that Canadians are “not out of the woods but” and might want to “proceed to tug collectively and be there for one another.” He mentioned that his authorities would “preserve working till these tariffs are off the desk altogether.”
“There’s a variety of work to do over the following month,” he informed reporters earlier than the occasion.
Trudeau additionally paid tribute to the Aga Khan, the non secular chief of hundreds of thousands of Ismaili Muslims, who passed away Tuesday on the age of 88, whom he described as a “pal.”
“He might be deeply, deeply missed by individuals world wide, however notably the Ismaili group that’s grieving tonight. Our hearts exit to all of them,” he mentioned.
He continued: “I misplaced an excellent pal, a pal of my father’s and a pal of mine tonight, so I’m unhappy. And we are going to all mirror on his extraordinary legacy for the approaching days, weeks, and certainly, years.”
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