Mayor Matthew Shoemaker tonight called on Saultites to restrict their spending to our side of the St. Marys River if U.S. President Donald Trump attempts to re-introduce punishing tariffs on Canada.
"While the best path to solving this is through outreach, negotiations and working alongside our neighbours to the south, I would not hesitate to call on everyone in the community, if tariffs are implemented, to take every step possible to keep every dollar within the country," Shoemaker said at tonight's city council meeting.
"That is the only way, if tariffs are to be implemented, that we will get the response that we need."
Following a phone conversation Tuesday afternoon, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that Trump is pausing his threatened 25 per cent tariffs on most Canadian goods.
Trudeau said he and Trump discussed Canada's $1.3-billion border plan, which includes helicopter patrols, and announced $200 million in new initiatives to address fentanyl trafficking.
Trump said he is "very pleased" with the initial outcome of his tariff threat following his phone conversation this afternoon with Trudeau and confirmed the levies will be paused for 30 days.
In a post on his own social media platform Truth Social, Trump copied and pasted Trudeau's earlier statement summarizing Canada's efforts on the border and fentanyl.
Trump said that over the next 30 days, the two countries will see whether a "final economic deal" can be reached.
Speaking at tonight's council meeting, Shoemaker talked about his personal friendship with Michigan Sault Mayor Don Gerrie, and amicable relations between our two cities since the War of 1812.
"It's better to negotiate if we can and if it succeeds, but if we can't and if tariffs are implemented, regardless of that, we have to go hyperlocal in our every dollar that we spend," Shoemaker said.
"That will hit Americans where it hurts – in their pocketbook – and that is what they respond most to. So hopefully it doesn't get there, but if it does, that's what we'll be encouraging everyone to do."
Councillors approved a resolution tonight referring to the Sault's special concerns about disruption with the steel industry, calling for council to do the following if the Trump tariffs are re-introduced:
- stand with Team Canada on the message that tariffs are not in the best interests of Canadian or American consumers and businesses; and
- call on the federal and provincial governments to work with municipalities on measures to protect Canadian consumers and businesses; and
- call on the federal and provincial governments to remove all barriers to municipalities preferring Canadian companies in procurement for capital projects and supplies as well as those that prevent municipalities from preferring Canadian companies for projects and supplies; and
- call on the federal and provincial governments to remove all trade barriers between provinces; and
- endorse the federal and provincial call for Buy Canadian and encourage Saultites to Buy Canadian whenever possible
– with files from the Canadian Press