Prime Minister Trudeau’s remarks – Canada Responds to Tariffs from the United States

Here is a copy of Prime Minister Trudeau’s speech from the evening of February 1st, 2025.
You can watch the speech here.

Prime Minister’s Remarks (Check Against Delivery):

Remarques du premier ministre (Vérifiez avec le discours actuel) :

Bonsoir. Good evening.

Today, the United States informed us they will be imposing 25% tariffs on Canadian exports to the United States, and 10% on Canadian energy –

A decision that, should they proceed, will take effect Tuesday, February 4th.

Cette décision met en péril une relation économique historique – 

 

Une relation qui a été la source de tellement de richesse, de prospérité et de possibilités, des deux côtés de la frontière.

First, I want to speak directly to Americans, our closest friends and neighbours.

This is a choice that will, yes, harm Canadians but beyond that, it will have real consequences for you, the American people.

As I have consistently said, tariffs against Canada will put your jobs at risk – potentially shutting down American auto assembly plants and other manufacturing facilities.

They will raise costs for you – including food at the grocery store and gas at the pump.

They will impede your access to an affordable supply of vital goods critical for U.S. security such as nickel, potash, uranium, steel, and aluminum.

They will violate the free trade agreement that the President and I, along with our Mexican partner, negotiated and signed a few years ago.

But it doesn’t have to be this way.

As President John F. Kennedy said many years ago, “Geography has made us neighbors. History has made us friends. Economics has made us partners. And necessity has made us allies.”

That rang true for many decades prior to President Kennedy’s time in office and in the decades since.

From the beaches of Normandy –

To the mountains of the Korean peninsula.

From the fields of Flanders –

To the streets of Kandahar –

We have fought, and died, alongside you.

During your darkest hours –

During the Iranian hostage crisis, those 444 days we worked around the clock from our embassy to get your innocent compatriots home –

During the summer of 2005, when Hurricane Katrina ravaged your great city of New Orleans –

Or mere weeks ago when we sent waterbombers to tackle the wildfires in California.

During the day the world stood still – September 11th, 2001 – when we provided refuge to stranded passengers and planes –

We were always there.

Standing with you, grieving with you… the American people.

Together, we’ve built the most successful economic, military and security partnership the world has ever seen – a relationship that has been the envy of the world.

Yes, we’ve had our differences in the past, but we’ve always found a way to get past them.

As I have said before, if President Trump wants to usher in a new golden age for the United States, the better path is to partner with Canada, not punish us.

Canada has critical minerals. Reliable and affordable energy. Stable democratic institutions. Shared values. And the natural resources you need.

Canada has the ingredients necessary to build a booming and secure partnership for the North American economy –

And we stand at the ready to work together.

Let’s take a moment to talk about our shared border.

Our border is already safe and secure, but there is always more to do.

Less than 1 per cent of fentanyl, less than 1 per cent of illegal crossings, into the United States come from Canada.

But hearing concerns from both Canadians and Americans, including the American President himself, we are taking action.

We launched a $1.3 billion border plan that is already showing results –

Because we too are devastated by the scourge that is fentanyl –

A drug that has torn apart communities and caused so much pain and torment for countless families across Canada, just like in the United States –

A drug we too want to see wiped from the face of the earth –

A drug whose traffickers must be punished.

As neighbours, we must work collaboratively to fix this.

Unfortunately, the actions taken today by the White House split us apart instead of bringing us together.

Tonight, I am announcing Canada will be responding to the U.S. trade action with 25% tariffs against $155 billion worth of American goods.

This will include immediate tariffs on $30 billion worth of goods as of Tuesday, followed by further tariffs on $125 billion worth of American products in 21 days’ time, to allow Canadian companies and supply chains to find alternatives.

Ce soir, j’annonce la réplique du Canada : des tarifs douaniers de 25% sur 155 milliards de dollars de marchandise américaine.

 

Dès mardi, 30 milliards de dollars de produits américains vont être touchés par ces tarifs et, dans 21 jours, pour donner le temps aux compagnies canadiennes de trouver des options alternatives, ce sera le cas pour 125 milliards de dollars de marchandise de plus.

Like the American tariffs, our response will also be far-reaching and include everyday items such as American beer, wine, and bourbon –

Fruits and fruit juices… including orange juice –

Along with vegetables, perfume, clothing, and shoes.

It will include major consumer products like household appliances, furniture, and sports equipment –

And materials like lumber and plastics – along with much more.

And as part of our response, we are considering, with the provinces and territories, several non-tariff measures –

Including those relating to critical minerals, energy, procurement, and other partnerships.

We will stand strong for Canada. We will stand strong to ensure our countries continue to be the best neighbours in the world.

With all that said, I also want to speak directly to Canadians in this moment.

I’m sure many of you are anxious.

But I want you to know we’re all in this together.

The Canadian government, Canadian businesses, Canadian organized labour, Canadian civil society, Canada’s premiers, and tens of millions of Canadians from coast to coast to coast are aligned and united.

This is Team Canada at its best.

Plus tôt aujourd’hui, j’ai parlé avec les premiers ministres de toutes nos provinces et territoires. On est unis et solidaires; ils ont tous appuyé notre approche. 

 

On est aussi alignés pour faire tomber les obstacles qui freinent le commerce entre nos provinces et territoires, et rendre ça plus facile pour les consommateurs de choisir les produits de chez nous.

 

Il y a quelques minutes, je me suis entretenu avec Mme Sheinbaum, la Présidente du Mexique. Notre autre partenaire nord-américain qui a lui aussi été la cible de tarifs douaniers aujourd’hui. 

 

On s’est engagés à travailler ensemble pour y faire face.

 

C’est une menace qui vise l’ensemble du pays et ça m’a fait chaud au cœur de voir autant de nos leaders répondre à l’appel et s’engager pour qu’aucun canadien ne soit laissé pour compte.

 

Notre gouvernement va être là pour les Canadiens, on va être là pour vous mais, en même temps, j’ai quelques choses à vous demander :

 

Je vous demande d’être solidaires. Beaucoup d’entre-nous vont être affectés par tout ça, et vont vivre des moments difficiles. 

 

Je vous demande d’être là les uns pour les autres, d’être là pour vos amis, vos voisins et tous vos compatriotes.

 

D’un océan à l’autre, les Canadiens sont très différents. On parle de différentes langues, on a de différentes croyances, on a de différentes opinions, de différentes idées. 

 

Mais, quand on reste unis, on puise notre force dans cette différence.

Now is also the time to choose Canada.

There are many ways for you to do your part.

It might mean checking the labels at the supermarket and picking Canadian-made products.

It might mean opting for Canadian rye over Kentucky bourbon. Or foregoing Florida orange juice.

It might mean changing your summer vacation plans to stay here in Canada and explore the many national and provincial parks, historical sites, and tourist destinations our great country has to offer.

C’est le temps de choisir les produits d’ici, d’appuyer les entreprises d’ici –

 

D’appuyer nos producteurs agricoles, nos manufacturiers, nos travailleurs, nos entrepreneurs, nos artistes.

It might mean doing all of these things or finding your own way to stand up for Canada.

In this moment, we must pull together – because we love this country.

We pride ourselves on braving the cold during the long winter months.

We don’t like to beat our chests but we’re always out there waving the Maple Leaf, loudly and proudly, to celebrate an Olympic gold medal.

On a notre propre identité, notre propre histoire, et nos propres valeurs.

 

Les Canadiens sont accueillants, ouverts, novateurs, et ambitieux. 

 

On préfère régler nos disputes avec diplomatie, mais on est prêts à se battre quand c’est nécessaire.

Canada is home to bountiful resources, breathtaking beauty, and a proud people who have come from every corner of the globe to forge a nation with a unique identity worth embracing and celebrating.

We don’t pretend to be perfect. But Canada is the best country on earth.

There’s nowhere else that I, and our 41-million-strong family, would rather be –

And we will get through this challenge – just as we’ve done countless times before – together.

Thank you. Merci. Vive le Canada.