this post was submitted on 02 Feb 2025
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Summary

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau denounced Trump’s sudden 25% tariffs, warning they threaten American jobs and will inflate consumer costs.

He revealed that Trump refuses to take his calls and sharply criticized claims linking tariffs to illegal immigration and fentanyl crossing U.S. borders.

In retaliation, Canada and Mexico imposed matching tariffs, targeting crucial American exports like auto parts, agriculture, and red-state staples like famous Kentucky bourbon.

Trudeau warned American factories may shut, citing integrated supply chains.

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[–] MapleEngineer@lemmy.world 43 points 12 hours ago (2 children)

Here are some numbers to consider.

The US sold $441 billion worth of goods and services to Canada in 2024.

Canada sold $482 billion worth of goods and services to the US in 2024.

The US has a populating of 334.9 million people.

Canada has a population of 40.1 million people.

Per capita, every American man, woman, and child spent $1,316.81 on Canadian goods and services.

Candians spent $12,019. 95 on American good and services.

Who isn't pulling their weight in this trading relationship?

This isn't about illegal immigration and it isn't about the 20 lbs of fentanyl that tried to cross the border from Canada.

This is about the billionaire class raising taxes on the poor and raising prices for Americans.

[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee 4 points 2 hours ago

This comment is a copypasta

[–] Marleyinoc@lemmy.world 7 points 11 hours ago

That makes sense. And Congress is bought and just watching. Well, between calls to their brokers to buy!

[–] Corno@lemm.ee 45 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

Good.

Imagine after less than two weeks in office, you're threatening and blackmailing other nations into being annexed by you and thinking this makes you the good guy in this scenario.

[–] Drusas@fedia.io 12 points 14 hours ago (2 children)

I doubt he thinks he's the good guy and I'm certain he doesn't care.

[–] __Lost__@lemmy.dbzer0.com 11 points 11 hours ago

Look at his official president photo, he wants to be an evil mastermind

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 14 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 14 hours ago)

My impression is that he thinks morality is dumb, basically. He's the protagonist of his own story, to the degree you'd expect from a raging narcissist, but not every story has a protagonist that's good.

[–] BigBenis@lemmy.world 22 points 17 hours ago

Please! We're in dire need of consequences.

[–] NatakuNox@lemmy.world 85 points 21 hours ago (8 children)

If you are a Canadian or Mexican please contact your representatives and have them do a more targeted tariff plan. Target American red states directly! Oil tariffs should be universal but anything made in red states and counties should have a 100% tariff. Force industry and goods to flow through blue areas and Trump's support will crumble.

[–] CanadaPlus@lemmy.sdf.org 23 points 14 hours ago* (last edited 13 hours ago)

As the other posters have pointed out, we're already on it. Which, no offence, is a symptom of why we don't want to be part of the US - our government actually works.

I looked over the official list, and it's stupid detailed. Like, a couple of goods mentioned are papers for wrapping cigars and fitted cases for church bells.

[–] leadore@lemmy.world 20 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

According to this (see first 2 minutes), they are specifically trying to target red states in hopes of getting republicans to try and intervene with trump.

[–] rumba@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 minute ago

T came out of the gate, clearly rewarding loyalty and smashing dissent. No red state is going to budge. It's like T watched a CPG Grey on Monarchy.

And even if they did and tried, he's not listening to anyone but his handlers.

[–] Brodysseus@lemmy.dbzer0.com 28 points 19 hours ago (12 children)

This assumes the people in the red States would see the chain of causation, which is unlikely.

It will create an enemy out of the taxing countries. I dont have a better idea but at this point his base will never turn from him.

[–] slickgoat@lemmy.world 22 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

Trump's base is a lost cause, but the pain may get the soft Dem voters to get off their arses and turn out for the next election.

Nothing will shift Maga, so appealing to them is wasted.

[–] TechAnon@lemm.ee 9 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

I agree there is a large subset of MAGA that are lost causes, however, I've seen a couple people around me change their minds on Trump: One was over the H1B (fear of job loss) and the other was over these recent tariffs (fear of paying more). Had to cause issues that could have direct impacts to them personally to change their minds, but there you have it.

[–] Wiz@midwest.social 6 points 10 hours ago

Republicans only care when it affects then directly.

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[–] blakenong@lemmings.world 21 points 17 hours ago

Good. Hit us with your best shot. We deserve it.

[–] BassTurd@lemmy.world 51 points 21 hours ago (2 children)

If Canada just stopped selling aluminum and steel to the US, it would heavily affect aerospace and military manufacturing.

[–] Gammelfisch@lemmy.world 10 points 18 hours ago

Potash and Canada exports a lot to the USA. This would affect the US agricultural sector.

[–] bdonvr@thelemmy.club 15 points 20 hours ago

Automotive too

[–] SinningStromgald@lemmy.world 204 points 1 day ago (15 children)

I really believe Trump is refusing calls from Trudeau like its a power move in a high stakes negotiations. Instead its an idiot, Trump, doing something dumb and an actual intelligent adult is trying to tell him how dumb he is and he won't listen.

[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee -2 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

Do you believe the same thing of the Biden administration’s refusal to talk to Putin’s office?

[–] Phil_in_here@lemmy.ca 2 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

Ah yes, who can forget the longstanding free-trade agreement with America's favourite, pealeful neighbour, Russia. Both sides are totally the same.

[–] intensely_human@lemm.ee -1 points 41 minutes ago

It’s a simple question. Are you gonna answer it or not?

[–] TechAnon@lemm.ee 11 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

It's proof that it's not about the economy which would mean the door is always open to negotiate a better deal. It's not about drugs since Canada could be calling to say, "We've made X changes to reduce drug trade."

So that begs the question: what is this all about?

[–] Zombiepirate@lemmy.world 10 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

So that begs the question: what is this all about?

Wrecking the economy so billionaires can buy up infrastructure at fire-sale prices?

[–] bradinutah@thelemmy.club 9 points 14 hours ago

This is Putin getting his Puppet to weaken the USA to promote Putin's goals. Donvict is a Russian asset. A weak USA helps Russia and BRICS, especially for objectives like Ukraine. Other players, like the oligarchs, are also beholden to Putin.

[–] Heikki@lemm.ee 69 points 1 day ago

His brain operates like a hamster and wheel. The issue is that the hamster died a long time ago.

[–] wewbull@feddit.uk 23 points 21 hours ago

A telephone call requires him to respond without his team in the loop. He's not opening himself up to that.

Since taking office I'm getting more and more convinced that he's in two modes. Teleprompter mode, where his words have been agreed upon by his team, and twitter rant, where he's just spouting his own bile.

He never speaks candidly in person since winning the election. Even the press room statement after the air crash was a prepared piece with all the hate baked in. Sure he took some questions but they were predictable and mainly deflected.

[–] Hubi@feddit.org 40 points 23 hours ago (5 children)

He's acting like his allies are enemies and not countries you want to cooperate with for the common good.

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[–] Monstrosity@lemm.ee 59 points 22 hours ago

He was talking directly to the American People, as he mentioned right before this quote.

But it seems American media is invested in keeping the American people uninvested. Like this is between two leaders and we just get to watch.

[–] fakir@lemm.ee 29 points 21 hours ago

Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is indistinguishable from malice.

[–] BananaTrifleViolin@lemmy.world 99 points 1 day ago (15 children)

There is nothing other countries can really do about this except impose tariffs in kind. When american inflation goes up I hope Americans put stickers on gas pumps and more eating "Trump did this"

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[–] Blackout@fedia.io 79 points 1 day ago (9 children)

Who would risk investing millions into a factory when you have no idea when your materials could be randomly taxed/tariffed. Was literally working on factory plans in Troy, MI when this put a permanent hold on it. Relying on Quebec aluminum like many others. No sense continuing if we have to use Chinese aluminum, just expand the China facility instead.

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[–] pip@slrpnk.net 51 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) (2 children)

It's baffling how foreign relations 101 gets completely thrown out the window by this shining idiot. It is SO important to establish good trade and relations with your bordering countries, and what does this guy do? The exact opposite.

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