OTTAWA - The federal government will make the case to the Trump administration that Canadian aluminum is no threat to the American market, as the mercurial president reportedly prepares to slap on tariffs anew.
Treasury Board President Jean-Yves Duclos says federal officials will push back against any new protectionist effort by the U.S. administration to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum.
A report from Bloomberg says the Trump administration is planning to impose a 10 per cent tariff on aluminum imports from Canada.
Duclos would not say whether the government is aware of a new round of tariffs, but says the threat of protectionism still exists and risks become bigger in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis.
The last time the Americans imposed such tariffs, the federal government imposed reciprocal fees on a slew of U.S. products crossing into Canada before both sides backed down.
Duclos says the Canadian government has fulfilled its end of the trade detente by ensuring Canada isn't a conduit to the U.S. for cheaper overseas product.
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