Premiers on ‘charm offensive’ to convince U.S. to drop tariff threats: Wab Kinew
Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew flaunted a large grin as he described his mission with Canada’s other provincial and territorial leaders in Washington, D.C., as “a charm offensive,” despite the severity of the Trump administration’s threats.
All 13 premiers are in the U.S. capital, kicking off a joint lobbying effort aimed at convincing the Republican members of Congress whose districts will feel the effects of a trade war to oppose the ongoing tariff threats.
As he arrived last night, Kinew took to Instagram to talk about relationship-building as the Canadian approach to its mission.
Walking in thickly falling snow as a winter storm began to sweep into the city, he said Team Canada is ready to not only offer warm and hearty handshakes, but “we might even help our friends shovel.”
President Donald Trump on Monday evening signed orders imposing 25 per cent tariffs on both steel and aluminum entering the U.S. The tariffs are scheduled to take effect March 12.
On Tuesday, a White House official confirmed that would be on top of an economy-wide 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian and Mexican goods except for 10 per cent on Canadian oil earlier threatened by Trump — meaning Canada could face a total of 50 per cent tariffs on the metals.
Meanwhile, Trump is eyeing even more tariffs for a variety of reasons, including on automobiles.
The economy-wide tariff was initially announced in January and set to begin Feb. 1. Despite Trump saying at the end of January that there was nothing Canada could do to stop his plan, he later paused its implementation until March 4, after Canada’s leaders scrambled to make a series of commitments to improve border security.
Canada also announced a plan to retaliate with tariffs of its own on $155 billion in U.S. goods, including alcohol, furniture and natural resources.
“Over the past few weeks, Canadians have seen that we can get results when we stick up for ourselves,” Kinew said at a news conference on Wednesday as the other premiers stood shoulder-to-shoulder behind him.
“The purpose of our trip here is not for us to come down and try to issue ultimatums and things like that. The purpose of the trip here is diplomacy. And so the offensive that we’re making here is a charm offensive.”
That was his message on Tuesday, as well, when he arrived in Washington and the premiers had a chance to address U.S. politicians in a “friendship-building, relationship-building exercise.”
“I’m a big believer in the old adage, relate before you negotiate, so part of this is about … creating that bond of connection,” Kinew said.
“We’ve got a lot of steelworkers in Manitoba and just let’s get that message that what benefits that worker in our province, benefits the worker in this country as well. So, trying to make the American-Canadian friendship stronger.”
Perhaps Mother Nature’s wintry blast in Washington is actually a good thing, Kinew suggested.
“If we’re going to hear an earful of Canadian weather jokes over the time that we’re here, maybe that will help build the relationship, too.”
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