Canada Coronavirus Financial Support Amid U.S. Threats

Ottawa has announced that it will offer coronavirus financial support to Canadian workers and businesses if Trump follows through on his threats of imposing heavy tariffs. As reported by AFP, Trump has indicated that he would implement 25 percent tariffs. This would be done on imports from Canada and Mexico on February 1 unless further measures are taken to curb migrant and drug crossings into the United States. Approximately 20 percent of the Canadian economy and nearly two million workers rely on exports to the US. This is why these tariffs would have a significant impact.

“Canada will be there to support and protect workers whatever irrational decision is made south of the border,” Labor Minister Steven MacKinnon told a news conference, AFP reported.

“Workers will not pay the price for or bear the brunt of a tariff decision made by the US administration,” he said.

What More Has Been Said Amid Canada Coronavirus Financial Support?

At his side, MP Randy Boissonnault jumped in to tell reporters to look to Canada’s Coronavirus financial support to get a sense of the scale of the proposed bailout. Canadian media have said it could rise to billions of dollars.

“If you want to know what we can do and will do… take a look at (the government’s) Covid playbook. Look at how we supported people during Covid,” Boissonnault said.

In 2022, the Canadian government allocated over Can$280 billion in emergency pandemic relief to individuals and businesses. This went on, causing the national debt to surpass Can$1 trillion for the first time. To prevent potential tariffs, Foreign Minister Melanie Joly traveled to Washington on Wednesday. This was being done to meet with US counterpart Marco Rubio. Further, to persuade the Trump administration to reconsider imposing tariffs on Canada.

What Did the Public Safety Minister Do?

Meanwhile, Public Safety Minister David McGuinty is to present Trump’s border czar Tom Homan this week. In this, details of Canada’s Can$1.3 billion (US$900 million) plan to strengthen security at the Canada-US border.

At a news conference in Ottawa, McGuinty came through. He said this represented the “largest single investment in Canadian history on the Canadian border.”

He noted that 400,000 people and billions of dollars in trade cross the border every day. On the other hand, less than one percent of illegal migrants and fentanyl entering the United States have come from Canada.

If you want to know what we can do and will do… take a look at (the government’s) Covid playbook.
McGuinty said he “remains hopeful” for a breakthrough in talks to avoid sanctions. This goes on to add on border cooperation, to which he said: “We’ve been doing it for 150 years together. I don’t see why we can’t do it now.”