MONTEBELLO, Que. 鈥� Federal cabinet ministers were careful not to declare victory Monday after U.S. President Donald Trump was sworn into office without mentioning Canada at all, and with no sign of the punishing tariffs he's been threatening for months.
"We're very cautious. We know we can make sure that this is a win-win relationship," Foreign Affairs Minister M茅lanie Joly told reporters at a cabinet retreat in Montebello, Que.
Joly, who was in Washington last week, touted the relationship-building work she and her colleagues have been doing south of the border in an attempt to prevent the tariffs.
Despite that outreach, the federal government learned through a report in the Wall Street Journal on Monday morning that Trump planned instead to sign an executive order launching an investigation into alleged unfair trade and currency practices by Canada, Mexico and China.
Joly chalked up the lack of communication to "a level of disorganization" as the Trump administration takes over.
Trump's threat to impose a 25 per cent across-the-board tariff on Canada did not materialize on inauguration day. Trump had threatened back in November that it would be one of his first actions on his first day back in office.
"This was news today. It is important news, and at the same time we will be working on preventing tariffs and preparing a response," Joly said.
The federal government had several plans ready to deploy in the event Trump signed an executive order imposing tariffs on Monday.
The plans include billions of dollars in possible retaliatory tariffs hitting key U.S. sectors, including orange juice, ceramics, plastics and steel products. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said every commodity must be considered as part of the response, including energy exports.
When he first threatened to impose tariffs, Trump said they were a response to what he called a lack of action by Canada and Mexico to keep migrants and illegal drugs out of the United States.
The Liberal government laid out a $1.3-billion plan to shore up border security over six years in December that includes extra police and border guards, helicopters, drones and drug-sniffing dogs.
Public Safety Minister David McGuinty said the co-operation between 91原创 and American officials on the border is very strong.
"I think it's important for 91原创s and Americans both to remember this: we have a very strong border, and what we're doing is making it stronger," he said.
Joly said "it was all about the border, and we did the job on the border," adding that she got positive feedback in Washington about the changes Canada promised.
But in recent weeks, Trump has pivoted to saying the tariffs are being introduced because of the United States' trade deficit with Canada.
"If the administration wants to study the economic and trade relationship between Canada and the United States, we think that's a positive opportunity for us," said Finance and Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Dominic LeBlanc.
Cabinet is set to hold a second day of meetings on Tuesday.
This report by The 91原创 Press was first published Jan. 20, 2025.
Sarah Ritchie and Kyle Duggan, The 91原创 Press
