Manitoba’s premier has asked his cabinet colleagues to prevent American companies from bidding on government contracts as a trade war with the United States looms.
“We have no quarrel with the American people — these are our friends, these are our relatives — but if their president is trying to take food out of our mouths, is trying to take jobs out of our province, then we have to stand up for ourselves,” Wab Kinew said as a newly created trade council gathered before a formal meeting Monday.
Kinew gathered business leaders, unionists and representatives from the agriculture and transportation sectors, among others, to brainstorm how to respond to the White House’s plans to impose 25 per cent tariffs on goods and 10 per cent on energy from Canada starting Tuesday.
MIKE DEAL / FREE PRESS
Premier Wab Kinew meets with members of Manitoba’s U.S. Trade Council on Monday morning. Newly elected Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs Grand Chief Kyra Wilson (left) is among the council members.
Mexico’s president said Tuesday that U.S. President Donald Trump will delay imposing 25 per cent tariffs on her country for one month.
The province established its U.S. Trade Council to brace for Trump following through on his threat to penalize Canada over his claims of weak border control affecting Americans’ safety and fuelling the illicit drug market.
Kinew told council members during his introductory remarks Monday that the province plans to roll out new measures to support Manitoba jobs throughout the week. He also said it has become clear that their discussions must be broadened because of Trump’s repeated musings about making Canada the “51st state.”
“The current situation is much more than just a trade dispute. This is also an attack on Canadian sovereignty,” Kinew said during a media availability before formal proceedings began.
“And as a result of that being brought forward by the American president, I think it’s important that we have a broader discussion than just exclusively trade issues and economic issues.”
Kinew said his top priority is to help local businesses, but Manitoba also needs to recognize and respond to an international shift toward onshoring — the opposite of outsourcing — and protectionism.
The province must diversify its export markets to create partnerships with “predictable allies” and businesses in countries “who are going to treat us fairly,” Kinew added.
The premier did not take questions from reporters at the event; he is slated to host a news conference later Tuesday.
maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca
Maggie Macintosh
Education reporter
Maggie Macintosh reports on education for the Free Press. Originally from Hamilton, Ont., she first reported for the Free Press in 2017. Read more about Maggie.
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