Canada lawmaker Jagmeet Singh wants 100% tariffs on Tesla products to target Trump's 'billionaire buddy' Musk

New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh (File)

Canadian lawmaker and New Democratic Party (NDP) leader Jagmeet Singh has proposed 100% tariff of Tesla imports and said his country will "hit back where it counts" in retaliation to President Donald Trump's trade war.

"If Trump and Musk attack Canadian autoworkers, I would slap a 100% tariff on Teslas - and give Canadians a $10,000 rebate to buy Canadian-made EVs and plug-in hybrids," Singh, the former ally of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, said in a post on X.

Singh added that Canada will "hit back where it counts and support Canadian workers."

If Trump and Musk attack Canadian autoworkers, I would slap a 100% tariff on Teslas - and give Canadians a $10,000 rebate to buy Canadian-made EVs and plug-in hybrids.We'll hit back where it counts and support Canadian workers.

Jagmeet Singh (@theJagmeetSingh) February 10, 2025

Trump has announced 25% tariffs on steel and aluminium, further intensifying the trade war with Canada. He has also said that Canada should become the "51st state" of America, a proposal that has not gone down well with Canadian politicians.

In retaliation to Trump's aggressive stance, Singh singled out US President's "billionaire buddy" Elon Musk, saying that Canada will fight back against Tesla.

“We know that the billionaire buddy of Donald Trump, Elon Musk, is a driving force behind the 51st state, so let’s punch back against him,” Singh told reporters on Monday.

He said that Musk has been very vocal against Canada and his country won't "let that stand". "So if you are going to take a shot at us, we're going to fight back," Singh told reporters.

He added that if Musk thinks he can tweet off whatever he wants, Canada will impose

a tariff on him".

“When it comes to Elon Musk, I want to send a message directly to him on tariffs, on him, on his company. He thinks he can pick a fight with Canada. He thinks he can say that we should be the 51st state. We’re going to hit him back,” Singh said.

He added added if Canada imposes a 100% tariff on Tesla products, it will send a direct message to Musk.

Earlier, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that his country would seek to highlight the negative impact of the United States' steel and aluminium tariffs and that - if needed - the response from Canada would be firm and clear.

"Canadians will stand up strongly and firmly if we need to," Trudeau said at the sidelines of the Paris artificial intelligence summit.