The Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, on Friday said his country would immediately retaliate against any tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump of the United States.

 

Trudeau’s statement comes amid escalating trade tensions between the U.S. and Canada following Trump’s re-election.

 

On Thursday, Trump threatened to impose a 25% tariff on imports from Mexico and Canada starting Tuesday, March 4, 2025.

 

However, he added that Canada would be subject to a lower 10% tax on Canadian energy products such as electricity.

 

Reacting, Trudeau warned: “Canada will have an immediate and extremely strong response.”

 

“We will continue to do that work and do everything necessary to avoid these tariffs coming in. But like I said, if on Tuesday there are unjustified tariffs imposed on Canada, we will have an immediate and extremely strong response, as Canadians expect,” Trudeau said.

 

Trump explained that the tariff was intended to curb the flow of illicit drugs, such as fentanyl, into the U.S., allegedly coming from both Canada and Mexico.

 

“We’ve gotten a good handle on the migration issue, but there are still concerns about fentanyl-related deaths.”

 

However, Trudeau countered that Canada is also grappling with the same issue of illicit drug inflow.

 

“The tariffs that the president speaks of for next week are centered around the fentanyl crisis they’re facing in the United States, but it’s a crisis we are also facing in Canada,” he noted.