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

Inmate dies in at Mission Institute

Correctional Service Canada says an inmate at Mission Institute has died while in custody. It says 33-year-old Tyler Damien Van Basten had been serving a nearly four-year sentence that began in January.

Inmate dies in at Mission Institute

Fifteen fisheries charges laid a decade after Mount Polley dam breached in B.C.

A statement from the B.C. Conservation Officer Service says it worked with the Department of Fisheries and Environment and Climate Change Canada to investigate possible contraventions of the act.

Fifteen fisheries charges laid a decade after Mount Polley dam breached in B.C.

Sturko refuses to meet former police board vice-chair, defying B.C. Opposition leader

Sturko says in an interview she's not "challenging" Rustad, but it's "disappointing" he didn't tell her he was going to publicly post on social media that he met Comfort Sakoma-Fadugba, and Sturko should too.

Sturko refuses to meet former police board vice-chair, defying B.C. Opposition leader

Canada continues to review Syrian refugee claims as European nations pause intake

Canada will continue evaluating the asylum claims of people who have fled Syria, Immigration Minister Marc Miller said Tuesday, even as some European countries are pausing those claims after the fall of the Assad regime. Miller said Canada's asylum system isn't seeing the same pressure as European counterparts such as Germany and Austria.

Canada continues to review Syrian refugee claims as European nations pause intake

Parliament set to hold an 11th hour vote on $21B in government spending

Members of Parliament are set to vote on a government request for billions of dollars in funding as the clock ticks down on a deadline. Last month, the Liberals asked Parliament to approve $21.6 billion in spending through the supplementary estimates.

Parliament set to hold an 11th hour vote on $21B in government spending

Canada Post strike on day 26 as union sends new proposals

With the Canada Post strike nearing four weeks, the postal service says it doesn't see an end in sight. On Monday, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers sent over its latest list of proposals, which include wage gains and job protections.