Trudeau warns Trump amid tariff war: 'Canada will have extremely strong response if...'

According to Trudeau, the tariffs that Trump speaks of are centered around the fentanyl crisis that they're facing in the United States.

Regarding the potential imposition of tariffs by the United States, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Friday said Canada will have an immediate and extremely strong response.

"We will continue to do that work and do everything necessary to avoid these tariffs coming in, but like I said, if on Tuesday there are unjustified tariffs brought in on Canada, we will have an immediate and extremely strong response, as Canadians expect," Trudeau said as quoted by CBC News.

The Canadian PM’s remark comes amid escalating trade tensions between the two nations. President Donald Trump has consistently condemned the influx of illegal drugs into the United States, which he claims are being trafficked from Canada and Mexico.

Trump has decided to move forward with the imposition of tariffs on both countries, starting March 4. Also, reciprocal tariffs are set to continue with full force from April 2.

In a post on Truth Social last week, Trump highlighted the alarming influx of illicit drugs, including fentanyl, into the United States and claimed that these import taxes would incentivize other nations to take stronger action against trafficking. “We cannot allow this scourge to continue to harm the USA, and therefore, until it stops, or is seriously limited, the proposed TARIFFS scheduled to go into effect on MARCH FOURTH will, indeed, go into effect, as scheduled,” the Republican president wrote on X. “China will likewise be charged an additional 10% Tariff on that date.”

Trudeau said that the Canadian leadership will ensure that no tariffs are imposed on Canada. “The first thing on tariffs is to emphasise that our government, and indeed all of Team Canada, premiers, business leaders, community leaders, are focused on one thing, making sure that come Tuesday and for the weeks that follow, there are no tariffs imposed on Canada,” he said.

According to Trudeau, the tariffs that Trump speaks of are centered around the fentanyl crisis that they're facing in the United States. Trudeau said Canada is also facing a similar crisis.

Addressing concerns regarding fentanyl trafficking into the United States, Trudeau said that he has been emphasising that less than one per cent of the fentanyl that arrives in the United States comes from Canada. “But we know that even that one per cent, or less than one per cent, should be reduced, which is why we've invested USD 1.3 billion in strengthening our border capacities with Blackhawk helicopters, with drones, with 10,000 people patrolling our borders and keeping Canadians and Americans safe. And that Canada is not the source of problems for the United States," he said.

On February 4, Trumpimposed  tariffs on imports from both countries for 30 days, saying that he had secured new commitments from the two countries to improve border security. The pause was put in place after Trump said he spoke to his counterparts from Mexico and Canada.