The Manitoba government is backing Justin Trudeau’s response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s newly-imposed tariffs, according to Premier Wab Kinew.
Kinew took to X (formerly Twitter) late Saturday afternoon and called for unity in the face of Trump’s tariffs.
“So Trump built a wall, but it’s a wall targeting us,” the premier wrote. “Trump’s tariff tax is an attack on Canada and who we are.”
TIM SMITH / THE BRANDON SUN FILES
“So Trump built a wall, but it’s a wall targeting us,” Premier Wab Kinew wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “Trump’s tariff tax is an attack on Canada and who we are.”
“It’s really important right now for all Canadians to stand together and for us to be united,” he added. “Manitoba fully supports the federal government’s response to these tariffs.”
In subsequent posts, he wrote that the provincial government will be announcing new steps to protect jobs and safeguard Manitoba’s economy.
“On a personal level, if you want to find ways to fight back, shop local and buy Canadian,” Kinew wrote. “Where you spend your money — those are some of the most important decisions that you make … Every single day this week. our governmnet is going to be announcing new steps to protect your jobs and safeguard our economy here at home.”
Trump will hit Canada with 25 per cent tariffs on Tuesday, with a lower 10 per cent duty for energy. The president signed an executive order Saturday at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. It included a retaliation clause that says if Canada responds with duties on American products the levies could be increased.
Trump addressed the tariffs on his Truth Social account at 5:50 p.m. EST Saturday, writing that the tariffs were implements through the International Emergency Economic Powers Act because of “the major threat of illegal aliens and deadly drugs killing our Citizens, including fentanyl.”
“We need to protect Americans, and it is my duty as President to ensure the safety of all,” Trump wrote. “I made a promise on my Campaign to stop the flood of illegal aliens and drugs from pouring across our Borders, and Americans overwhelmingly voted in favor of it.”
Trudeau met with the provincial and territorial premiers Saturday afternoon to discuss Canada’s response.
Chuck Davidson, president of the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, called Trump’s decision unfortunate.
“Nobody’s going to win a tariff war between Canada and the United States,” he said. “It’s going to be local business owners, it’s going to be citizens, it’s going to be the average consumer… that’s going to end up losing as a result of this.”
In recent days, the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce has been focusing on what it can control, Davidson added. That includes sending letters to each Canadian premier suggesting that now is “the perfect time” to look at interprovincial trade barriers, how they might be removed and the positive impact that could have on the Canadian economy.
Trump’s executive order provides certainty after months of threats, Davidson said, and now it’s time for the provincial and federal governments to put together a response to lessen the impact on businesses and consumers in Canada as much as possible.
The province’s U.S. trade council, which includes 16 leaders from the private sector, business associations and labour groups, will meet with the premier on Monday morning, Davidson said.
aaron.epp@freepress.mb.ca
Aaron Epp
Reporter
Aaron Epp reports on business for the Free Press. After freelancing for the paper for a decade, he joined the staff full-time in 2024. He was previously the associate editor at Canadian Mennonite. Read more about Aaron.
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