With Trump’s tariff threat looming, Trudeau launches Canada-U.S. relations council

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during a first ministers meeting in Ottawa, on Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025. (Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)

With U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s threat to hit Canada with a 25 per cent import tariff looming, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is launching a new Canada-U.S. relations council.

Eighteen prominent Canadians have been tapped to join the panel. Among them are former Quebec premier Jean Charest, former Alberta premier Rachel Notley, and businessperson and past Dragons' Den investor Arlene Dickinson.

Unifor National President Lana Payne, Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association President Flavio Volpe, Canada’s top Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) trade negotiator Steve Verheul, and Trudeau’s former top national security adviser Jody Thomas are also on the panel, as are the CEOs of Cameco and Linamar.

“Comprised of leaders in business, innovation, and policy, the members of the Council will use their sectoral expertise to support the Prime Minister and Cabinet at this important time in the Canada-U.S. relationship,” the Prime Minister’s Office said in a statement.

On Wednesday, Trudeau met with all of Canada’s provincial and territorial leaders to discuss Canada’s response plan to the anticipated levying of a massive tariff on Canadian goods by the incoming U.S. administration.

They emerged from the hours-long meeting largely, but not unanimously, united around the plan to leave all options on the table, including targeting a list of American goods with retaliatory counter-tariffs and considering ways to distribute revenues from any Canadian retaliation to impacted sectors.

Canada’s ambassador to the United States Kirsten Hillman was part of the pan-Canadian meeting, and has also been named as a member of this new council.

“We will protect Canadians. We will make sure that we are there to show what this country is made of. At the same time, we’ve also agreed that no one region of the country should disproportionately bear the burden of standing up for all other Canadians,” Trudeau said.

Smith stands against Trudeau’s plan

While Trudeau and other premiers have sought to double-down on presenting a unified “Team Canada” front in the face of Trump’s massive economic threat, the one outlier in accepting the federal government’s plan is Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.

Smith refused to sign the joint statement issued by all other premiers, and came out of the meeting – which she attended virtually from her vacation – stating that she couldn’t support an approach that leaves energy export tariffs to the United States on the table.

“Alberta will simply not agree to export tariffs on our energy or other products, nor do we support a ban on exports of these same products. We will take whatever actions are needed to protect the livelihoods of Albertans from such destructive federal policies,” Smith said in a social media post.

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, who earlier in the day echoed Smith’s concerns about blocking energy exports being divisive and potentially sparking a national unity crisis, emerged from the meeting with a more congenial tone.

“Canadians can be thankful their 13 premiers, the prime minister, and a few federal ministers are coming together not only to hash out what those differences might be, but to understand where we can come together,” Moe said.

Smith’s solo rebuke, drew a sharp response from other premiers, including Ontario’s Doug Ford, who came to the nation’s capital wearing a “Canada is not for sale” hat designed similarly to Trump’s “Make America Great Again” merchandise.

“I respect that she’s concerned about protecting her energy, and that’s her choice… I have a different theory,” Ford said. “Protect your jurisdiction, but country comes first.”

Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey said that taking energy off the table would reduce Canada’s negotiation power, calling it a “really short-sighted view,” in an interview with CTV News' Chief Political Correspondent Vassy Kapelos on Wednesday.

Trudeau has vowed to meet weekly with the premiers following Trump’s Jan. 20 inauguration.