As the White House signalled Tuesday that it's still planning to pound Canada with punishing tariffs on Feb. 1, the Canadian head of the United Steelworkers pledged to fight back.
"These reckless allegations and the threat of tariffs are an attack on the deeply integrated industries, strong supply chains and the good, unionized jobs on which they depend on both sides of the border," said Marty Warren, national director for Canada of the United Steelworkers union.
"Workers in key sectors such as steel, aluminum, forestry, mining, auto and broader manufacturing and processing sectors are the backbone of our economy," Warren said.
"Threatening the Canadian trade relationship undermines the very foundation of these industries and hundreds of thousands of jobs."
Karoline Leavitt, Trump's press secretary, told reporters at the White House that she spoke with the president Monday night and he indicated Feb. 1 was "still on the books" for imposing tariffs against Canada and Mexico.
Warren had some strong words for Trump's plans.
“President Trump’s renewed threat to impose across-the-board, punitive 25 per cent tariffs on Canada and Mexico effective Feb. 1 is a reckless and harmful move that will have devastating consequences for workers, industries and communities across Canada and the United States," Warren said in a news release.
"As an international union representing 850,000 workers in Canada and the United States, the USW understands the shared struggles of workers across borders. Tariffs will hurt not only Canadian workers but also American manufacturers, workers and families who depend on the seamless flow of goods and materials between our countries.
"We have seen the damage caused by similar actions in the past. These tariffs will create instability, add further uncertainty to business investment plans, disrupt supply chains, increase costs and put thousands of jobs at risk.
"They will also undermine the standard of living of workers on both sides of the border, as rising costs and job insecurity will impact communities. Workers cannot be collateral damage in political gamesmanship," Warren said.
"Canadian workers will not be intimidated or sacrificed. We stand united with our American union counterparts in demanding fairness, stability and respect for workers in the industries that sustain our communities and economies.”
The Steelworkers represent 225,000 members in nearly every economic sector across Canada.
It's the biggest private-sector union in North America with 850,000 members in Canada, the United States and the Caribbean.
Ottawa has prepared multiple options for retaliatory tariffs, depending on what Trump ultimately does. Trump initially promised 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs in response to what he called the failure of both countries to curb the illegal flow of people and drugs across the border.
Canadian officials have been cycling through Washington in recent weeks to promote Canada's $1.3-billion border security plan and make the case that tariffs would hurt both economies.
The federal government is also looking at a relief package to help businesses and industries affected by Trump's tariffs. It's not clear what Ottawa has planned but it's likely that much of the spending would require legislative approval.
That can't happen until March 24, when Parliament resumes sitting. Opposition leaders have vowed to bring down the minority Liberal government at the first opportunity.
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh called for Parliament to return to prepare for the threat of devastating duties.
Singh said Tuesday that during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Liberals brought opposition leaders together to present the government's response plan. Singh said no such plan has been presented for Trump's tariff threats.
"As it stands, my position remains we will be voting against the government at the earliest convenience," Singh said in Burnaby, B.C.
"If the Liberals are serious about providing support to workers — and I think they should — then bring the opposition leaders together, present a plan."
Singh appeared to leave the door open to supporting the government's plan to respond to a tariff war — assuming he gets a chance to see it first.
The NDP leader's office later clarified that Singh wants Parliament recalled to deal with the duties ahead of any confidence vote.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has also demanded Trudeau recall Parliament in the wake of Trump's tariff threat.
Multiple premiers have said provinces are considering relief plans much like those introduced during the pandemic.
B.C. Premier David Eby said Tuesday that any money gained through retaliatory tariffs should be immediately deployed to help impacted businesses survive and diversify their markets away from the U.S.
– with files from the Canadian Press