In the midst of an increasingly heated chicken game related to the rate, Canadian politicians are in Houston saying that Americans are fed up, in the most stereotypically Canadian way possible.
“I don’t think friends do that to friends,” said Alberta Minister Brian Jean, speaking on the stage on Tuesday during a discussion panel in Global Ceraweek That also had the Minister of Energy of Ontario, Stephen Lecce and the Prime Minister of Saskatchewan, Scott Moe.
The trio of politicians was at the conference when the tariff fight heated and then cooled in the course of a couple of hours. The first minister of Ontario, Doug Ford, had promised a 25 percent surcharge on imports of electricity to the United States, the president of the United States, Donald Trump, shot with amazing tariffs about steel and aluminum, and finally both parties withdrew and agreed to speak.
Is this enough to anger Lecce?
No, but he is “offended,” News told CBC in an interview after the panel discussion.
“I think of my own father who emigrated through Ellis Island, New York,” Lecce said. “I mean, we are relatives and this is unfair.”
The terms “family” or “friends” were used alternately and repeatedly on stage to describe the relationship between Canada and the United States.
While they agreed that it is normal to have disagreements in nearby relationships, said Moe, “tariffs and increasing counterpariffs [do] Nothing to benefit the American family. “
Part of the chaos was reflected in the stock market, where the indices collapsed on Tuesday before recovering slightly before the end of the day.
Jonathan Wilkinson, the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources of Canada, who is also in Houston, gave a severe but educated tone about the tariff fight.
“The people of Canada expected their government to take a step forward and answer. They will not think that their government will be a Patsy and will let the Americans do what they want,” he said.
On Tuesday, Wilkinson met face to face with the United States Secretary of Energy, Chris Wright.
“I think we both leave understanding a little more about the perspectives on the other side, and I hope it is a voice to try to find ways to descalize and eventually eliminate these rates,” Wilkinson told CBC News, referring to Wright’s career in the oil cane, including the projects in Alberta.
The White House had previously announced a 10 percent rate on Canadian energy imports. However, there has been confusion among some officials and industry analysts after rates exemptions were made for products that comply with the current free trade agreement between the two countries.
The Secretary of Energy of the United States was vague on the subject and would not provide details when journalists pressed him on Monday.
Wilkinson said Tuesday that most of the oil and Canadian natural gas is now exempt from rates and also suggested that commercial relations have really improved.
Canada has never been more united: Lecce
As negotiations continue, politicians in the field in Houston said the tariff fight has made the relationship between Canadians stronger than ever.
Lecce said that he had never seen the Canadians so united and that animosity with the United States has meant greater motivation to build a new infrastructure and find new export markets.
“We almost need this kick as a nation to realize that we have a massive potential,” he said.
While in Texas, Lecce meets with its counterparts at the state level in an effort to continue promoting the nuclear industry of the province in the midst of the federal tumult.
Even so, there were limits on that united front. When asked how Mark Carly, the new federal liberal leader and designated by the prime minister, could respond in this fight, Alberta Minister of Energy, Jean, said Carney cannot and should not do anything because “he has no mandate.”
“Both prime ministers are lame ducks,” he said, referring to Carney and outgoing prime minister Justin Trudeau.
The Ford of Ontario will meet Thursday with the United States Secretary of Commerce, Howard Lutnick, to negotiate changes in the Canadian-Mexico (Cusma) agreement.
While the Canadians wait and see how the situation develops, Lecce said he hopes that the country will decompose interprovincial commercial barriers, chasing commercial missions beyond North America and trying to build the type of important infrastructure projects that listen to the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway.
“This is the time for us to get up,” he said.
