Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew fully supports Prime Minister Mark Carney and the federal government’s decision to walk away from trade talks with the United States.
Speaking Saturday afternoon, Kinew commended the prime minister for standing up for Canadians and that all premiers are united with Carney.
“History will not be kind to Donald Trump. So we should never appease him and we should fight back, which is what Canada is doing today,” said Kinew. “We can fight back against Donald Trump by buying from Canadian businesses, by supporting Canadian workers and most importantly, by living up to our Canadian values.”
Late Friday evening, both Canada and the U.S. announced a trade deal had fallen apart, which resulted in 50 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods from the States.
Carney has since announced reciprocal tariffs will come into effect next month.
The prime minister also mentioned that trade talks disintegrated after U.S. trade representatives tried to implement last-minute changes to the deal.
“Donald Trump has certainly changed the world, but he hasn’t changed us, and we also know that Donald Trump won’t be there forever. So let’s continue extending that hand of friendship to the American people, and hopefully they will have Donald Trump and his folks see the door very quickly and we could get back to better times with our neighbours to the south,” Kinew said.
Manitoba will continue to retaliate against the American tariffs, Kinew said, by ensuring U.S. booze stays off the shelves of liquor stores across the province, as well as moving away from American businesses who apply for any tenders in the province.
The premier is also figuring out next steps to help Manitoba industries that will be impacted.
“We’ll work together with the federal government to make sure that industries that are facing this uncertainty are going to get the necessary supports,” said Kinew.
“We’re fighting for you. Donald Trump wants to take away steel, he wants to take away manufacturing jobs from our country and we won’t let them. So we’re going to stand up for our country. We’re going to stand up because we know that the red maple leaf is stronger than that guy in the red hat down south.”
Kinew also had a message for Americans, saying their cost of living is going to continue to climb under these new tariffs.
“He continues to undermine any credibility that he has on the cost of living, and the worst part about it, even the MAGA-hat-wearing American crowd should realize, is that he doesn’t care,” he said. “He only cares about making his family richer.”
Gillingham doesn’t mince words on trade war
Winnipeg Mayor Scott Gillingham also commented on the trade war Saturday, saying there is only one group that is responsible for the latest dispute.
“It is the result of the President of the United States and his advisors continuing to follow through on his arrogant threat to try to control our country using ‘economic force,’” Gillingham said in a statement.
“I support free trade, but you can’t practice free trade when the leader of your biggest trading partner is trying to choke your economy into submission.”
Gillingham said the city will do whatever it can to help the provincial and federal governments “fight this bullying.”
The mayor is calling on all Canadians to join together and help each other prosper during this uncertain time.
