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Sweeping tariffs could hit Canada’s economy as early as next week, even as government leaders and labour groups meet to discuss further steps amid the uncertainty.
Trudeau’s itinerary for Wednesday said he “will host a virtual meeting with provincial and territorial premiers.”The prime minister will also chair a meeting of the federal cabinet, though the Prime Minister’s Office did not say what time either of Trudeau’s meetings will take place.U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said tariffs were “on schedule” to arrive on March 4, although he did not clarify whether he meant the broad-based 25 per cent tariffs on Canada or the reciprocal tariffs he announced on all of America’s trade partners.A White House official speaking on background told Global News on Wednesday that the March 4 tariff plans for Canada and Mexico could change through negotiations. As of now though, those plans are still moving ahead, the official said.Preparing for Trump’s tariffs remains top of mind for Canadian government leaders and businesses.
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The Canadian Labour Congress (CLC) is hosting an emergency meeting Wednesday night to discuss the impact of U.S. tariffs on workers and communities.The meeting will be held virtually at 8 p.m. eastern and will be attended by leaders from unions representing more than three million workers from all sectors across Canada.A recent report by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce said around 2.3 million Canadians work in jobs tied directly to U.S. exports, while 1.4 million Americans work in jobs tied to Canadian exports.
A representative from the CLC’s U.S. counterpart, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, will also participate to speak about the challenges facing American workers. Bea Bruske, president of the Canadian Labour Congress, said Canada has to prepare for the tariffs.The CLC says Canada needs a “comprehensive, worker-first strategy” to protect jobs, industries and communities from economic disruption.It says now is the time to diversify trade, invest in domestic industries and strengthen protections for Canadian workers by rolling out special employment insurance measures and financial assistance.The CLC is also calling for Canada to consider imposing “significant and impactful tariffs” on the U.S. and cutting off its access to critical resources like electricity, lumber, minerals, oil and gas if tariffs are applied.–with files from The Canadian Press
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