‘We have his back': Prime minister, premiers take united approach in trade talk strategy
The primary focus of the meetings has been the ongoing negotiations with the White House.
On July 10, President Donald Trump announced the U.S. will charge a 35 per cent tariff on Canadian imports starting Aug. 1.
'Well, look, if President Trump has taught us anything, it's that we shouldn't get hung up on anything because he can change his mind at the drop of a hat and a deal isn't a deal,' said New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt.
'So that's the real challenge for all of New Brunswick's entrepreneurs is, no matter what happens on Aug. 1, are we going to be able to trust that that's then going to stay in place for any foreseeable length of time?'
Holts says the consensus is the end result is more important than the speediness of the result.
'I think we've realized that there is a possibility to end up in a much worse situation than the one that we're in now, while we push to end up in a better situation,' said Holt.
'So, it's figuring out what is that push to get a better deal to get rid of those tariffs that doesn't risk us finding ourselves in a much worse position.'
Holt says Canada needs to reach a place where there is confidence that the deal that is struck is going to be adhered to by the president of the United States.
'Canada has been under U.S. tariffs for a very long time. This isn't new, as much as it might seem new, and the folks in softwood lumber could speak to that. There's different tariffs that have been in place for different sectors. In some cases, on and off,' said Holt.
'The goal is a tariff-free environment, certainly for softwood lumber, but also for all of the Canadian economy.'
'We have his back'
Prime Minister Mark Carney has shifted the goal post in the trade talks between Canada and the United States from a tariff-free deal to getting the best deal possible.
'We are only going to accept the best deal for Canada. We'll take stock if there isn't one. A good deal is something that preserves, reinforces and stabilizes those relationships as much as possible. A good deal is also one that doesn't tie our hands,' said Carney.
'There's always a possibility for this to go sour. So, I think the premiers gave the PM the reassurance that we want the best deal possible. We have his back. We don't want him to take a deal that isn't good for New Brunswick or Canada because of a deadline,' said Holt.
Several other premiers shared a similar message Wednesday afternoon, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford.
'With a united Team Canada approach, we're going to build and protect the true north strong and free,' said Ford.
Former New Brunswick premier Brian Gallant said Canada needs the U.S., but shouldn't forget tariffs would cause economic pain on the other side of the border, too.
'To see the premiers at and the PM stay united despite the fact there are many political parties represented in the group of 14, so I think that's the number one outcome from these meetings,' said Gallant. 'I think it's also putting Canadians on notice that we may indeed have more uncertainty.'
'Similarly impatient'
Holt said the premiers are 'similarly impatient' about a new internal trade agreement.
'(We) want to come up with that new Canada free-trade agreement that is simple and clear and eliminates every barrier possible, recognizing that we're each unique provinces,' said Holt in an interview with CTV Atlantic's Todd Battis.
'We each have a thing, whether it's land in P.E.I. or fish in Newfoundland, that needs to be treated differently, but everything else has to go. Particularly in the transport sector. We need to be able to move New Brunswick products to the people in Manitoba or Saskatchewan or B.C. who really want them without that truck having to go through red tape and barriers and change flags and change first aid kits. We're all impatient for that work to be done and to bear fruit.'
Memorandum of understanding
Holt signed a memorandum of understanding with Premier Wab Kinew of Manitoba to expand the market opportunity for New Brunswick entrepreneurs, without adding administrative burden or new cost.
'I think anytime that we can introduce a new province to our goods and in such a way that makes it easy for entrepreneurs here who might have thought, 'Ah, it's not worth me learning the regulations of Manitoba and figuring out what different packaging I'd have to create for my product in order to sell it there,' said Holt.
'Or, now they can take the product they're already making, the packaging that they already have, and they can send it to Manitoba to sell to new customers without that added cost or added work.'
With files from CTV Atlantic's Todd Battis and Nick Moore.
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