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

Scam targeting the elderly in Vancouver

Police in Vancouver are warning seniors about a new bank card scam that resulted in about 40-thousand dollars in combined losses for two victims this month. They say fraudsters called the victims from a phone number that appeared to be a legitimate financial institution, claiming that there had been irregular activity on their accounts.

Scam targeting the elderly in Vancouver

B.C. NDP government, Greens reach 'shared priorities' agreement

Eby's party won a bare majority with 47 seats in the October provincial election, while two Greens were elected and the B.C. Conservatives have 44 seats. The premier's statement says the NDP and Greens will work together on health care, affordable housing, creating livable communities and growing a strong, sustainable economy.

B.C. NDP government, Greens reach 'shared priorities' agreement

Former B.C. New Democrat member of the legislature Dan Coulter dead at 49

The party says Coulter "always championed the underdog," citing his work in the legislature after his election in Chilliwack in 2020, his former role of chair of the Chilliwack school board and as the Parliamentary secretary for accessibility and minister of state for infrastructure and transit.

Former B.C. New Democrat member of the legislature Dan Coulter dead at 49

Woman who preyed on Chinese students fined $3.3 million by BC Securities Commission

A woman who used "high-pressure tactics and predatory conduct" on Chinese students has been fined $3.3 million by the BC Securities Commission. The commission says in a statement that a panel ordered Meiyun Zhang to pay an administrative penalty of $2.5 million and more than $790,000 in the traceable cash she's alleged to have obtained through fraud.

Woman who preyed on Chinese students fined $3.3 million by BC Securities Commission

Skier missing at Sun Peaks resort

Police and search crews are on the lookout for a skier missing at Sun Peaks Resort since Tuesday. R-C-M-P say 68-year-old Tomasz Jaholkowski did not appear to return to his hotel room after being seen on surveillance video at a chairlift earlier in the day.

Skier missing at Sun Peaks resort

Inmate death in Abbotsford prison

An inmate at an Abbotsford prison has died while in custody. The Correctional Service of Canada says the 39-year-old male inmate was serving a sentence of more than three years when he died at the Matsqui Institution.