Trump's tariff threat divides Conservative politicians across Canada

The U.S. president has once again referenced Canada becoming the 51st American state — and it's sounding less and less like a joke. 

President Donald Trump's latest comment came Thursday as he addressed the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, by video link.

"You can always become a state," he said of Canada. "And if you're a state, we won't have a deficit, we won't have to tariff you." 

It's more evidence of Trump treating his northern neighbour less as an ally, and more as a foe. 

His threat of 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods, which could take effect as early as Feb. 1, has sparked a debate over whether the best response is to fight back with dollar-for-dollar tariffs on U.S. goods, or extend an olive branch to Canada's longtime ally. 

WATCH | Trump tells World Economic Forum other countries are taking advantage of U.S.:

Trump asserts — again — that the U.S. doesn't need Canadian resources

3 days ago

Duration 6:41

U.S. President Donald Trump, speaking by video to people gathered at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, argued that other countries, including Canada, are taking advantage of the U.S. He also repeated claims that the U.S. doesn't need anything from Canada.

It's an issue that seems to be dividing Conservative politicians across Canada. 

Several such politicians have said Canada should work with, not fight, Trump. Some even attended his inauguration in Washington, D.C. 

That includes B.C. Conservative Party president Aisha Estey. She posted a photo of herself on social media, wearing a pin with the Canadian and American flags overlapping, with the caption: "Make Canada Great Again."

B.C. Conservative Party Leader John Rustad said he didn't know Estey was planning to be there.

"I saw the picture of it and I kind of chuckled when I saw it and thought, 'Oh that's interesting.'  People are free to do what they want to do."

Estey did not respond to a request for comment.

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith this week justified her trip to Washington, D.C., and her earlier visit with Trump at his Florida golf club. 

"America is our largest trading partner, they're our strongest ally," Rustad said. "We need to be figuring out how we actually work with them. We have to have a trade relationship with these people, not fight with them." 

Ontario Premier Doug Ford on the other hand — the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario — has said Canada should push back with dollar-for-dollar tariffs of its own. 

It's one thing Ford and B.C.'s NDP leader agree on. 

"You can surrender and give up, or you can stand up," Premier David Eby told reporters this week. 

Eby has threatened to impose an export ban on critical minerals that the U.S. relies on to make electronics, and has not ruled out a ban on selling U.S. alcohol in B.C. liquor stores, a fee on American trucks driving through Canada to Alaska, or barring U.S. companies from bidding on B.C. infrastructure projects. 

WATCH | Eby suggests critical minerals export ban may be on the table: 

B.C. premier hints at ban on export of rare minerals to U.S. for leverage on tariff threats

11 days ago

Duration 2:13

B.C. Premier David Eby hinted Tuesday that B.C. could slap an export ban on critical minerals produced in the province if U.S. president-elect Donald Trump goes ahead with his proposed tariffs.

Hamish Telford, a political scientist at the University of the Fraser Valley, says Canadians are witnessing a careful game of political calculus. 

"They are considering where their base is at when they're deciding how to approach Trump," he said. "We're seeing this with Danielle Smith, I think, who has verged on bowing down and kissing the ring here."

B.C.-based Conservative strategist Allie Blades said there's no doubt Trump likes to create an uproar with "antagonistic" statements like Canada becoming the 51st state, but she said politicians cannot "take the bait." 
 
Blades praised Smith for engaging in dialogue with Trump and "defending her province, as rightfully she should as premier."

"To accept the strategy that, 'Well, I can't engage in these conversations because of this one comment from the new president,' is narrow minded and ignoring all of the tactics that we could potentially be using on the Canadian side," she said. 

Rustad has so far laughed off Trump's 51st state comments. 

"Look, I don't know anyone who wants to become an American. I'm certainly not interested in becoming an American and being the 51st state." 

The silver lining of Trump's rhetoric, Rustad said, is that there's now serious talk about making it easier to trade within Canada. It was the one point all premiers agreed on this week, regardless of political stripe.