National

Joly off to Washington to talk tariffs with Rubio as Trump floats 5% target for NATO

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 23 Jan, 2025 03:01 PM

Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly will press Canada's case against damaging tariffs with Donald Trump's new secretary of state next week in Washington.

Trump is threatening to impose 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs on imports from Canada starting on Feb. 1 though Joly says things are still in transition while Trump hasn't yet confirmed a commerce secretary.

Joly spoke with Secretary of State Marco Rubio for half an hour by phone Wednesday and will meet him in person next week.

Congratulations on your confirmation as the United States’ Secretary of State @marcorubio.

I look forward to working together on our diplomatic and trade relationship as well as advance our two countries’ shared priorities, including through Canada’s chairship of the G7.
— Mélanie Joly (@melaniejoly) January 21, 2025

She says she stressed to Rubio that tariffs will hurt America's economy and its relationships with other countries and wants to convince the Trump administration that Canada can help Washington stand against China.

Joly says Rubio seemed open to new ideas during the discussion.

Joly says she will also meet with "other key Republican senators" while in Washington and Canada will participate in Trump's planned review of trading practices.

Also on Thursday Trump repeated previous calls for NATO military allies like Canada to spend 5 per cent of their GDP on defence — a target that no NATO country currently meets.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded by citing Ottawa's planned increases to military spending and said Canada is a partner to the U.S. in an unstable world.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Professional association of B.C. bylaw workers releases cheeky top calls list

The professional association for B.C. bylaw workers says among its top 10 "interesting" calls received last year included a resident complaining about a neighbour "purposefully" flatulating in their general direction as a form of harassment. The Local Government Compliance and Enforcement Association of BC released a list of top "interesting, unique and funny calls" received by bylaw departments in the province last year.

Professional association of B.C. bylaw workers releases cheeky top calls list

Victoria police use-of-force data shows Indigenous 'overrepresentation'

The Victoria Police Department on Wednesday released race-based data showing an "overrepresentation" of Indigenous people in cases involving police use of force over a six-year period from 2018 to 2023.

Victoria police use-of-force data shows Indigenous 'overrepresentation'

Man, woman facing arson charges after Calgary home explosion that injured six people

A man and woman are accused of lighting their Calgary home on fire, triggering an explosion that injured several people last fall. Calgary police and firefighters were called in early October to a residential neighbourhood shortly after the explosion happened.

Man, woman facing arson charges after Calgary home explosion that injured six people

Forestry 'transition' sets off review of BC Timber Sales, province says

The "significant pressures" on British Columbia's forest industry have prompted a review of BC Timber Sales, the organization that manages about 20 per cent of the annual allowable cut. Forests Minister Ravi Parmar says in a statement that the review will ensure the sector can continue to evolve to overcome challenges and create a more resilient industry in the future.

Forestry 'transition' sets off review of BC Timber Sales, province says

David Eby calls Trump tariffs 'economic war' that would cost B.C. $69 billion

British Columbia Premier David Eby says U.S. president-elect Donald Trump has made a "declaration of economic war" on Canada and B.C. with his proposed 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods. Eby and Finance Minister Brenda Bailey released costings that suggest the tariffs and a similar response from Canada would cumulatively cost B.C. $69 billion in lost GDP over the four years of the Trump presidency.

David Eby calls Trump tariffs 'economic war' that would cost B.C. $69 billion

First Nations group presses Ottawa to come back to the table for child welfare talks

The national chief of the Assembly of First Nations is asking for an update from the Caring Society months after chiefs put it and a newly formed committee in charge of seeking new negotiations with Canada, and after Canada informed the assembly it was only prepared to renegotiate with First Nations in Ontario.