OTTAWA (LifeSiteNews) — Canadian business associations are calling for Parliament to reopen and deal with the United States’ tariff threats.
This week, the Canadian Trucking Alliance (CTA) and the Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers and Businesses Canada (CCMBC) demanded that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau allow Parliament to resume in order to face the looming threat of 25 percent tariffs from the United States.
“Parliament is where the business of government functions and so it’s imperative it is restarted as we face this crisis,” CTA president Stephen Laskowski said in a press release.
“As a nation, we must support Team Canada to withstand these unfair tariffs, while also sending a strong message to the Americans that we are ready at the highest levels to work together,” he continued.
CTA also suggested that provincial leaders work to remove inter-provincial trade barriers to enable trade within Canada to “increase efficiencies, productivity, and provide a modest degree of resiliency in the face of U.S. tariffs.”
Similarly, in a February 5 press release, CCMBC president Catherine Swift called on MPs to take advantage of U.S. President Donald Trump’s 30-day reprieve to find a long-term solution.
“This 30-day reprieve must be used as a period of significant activity to strengthen border security, reform Canada’s chaotic immigration system and crack down on the illegal drug trade, among other things, not as an excuse to relax,” Swift said.
“CCMBC members were never supportive of a self-destructive trade war motivated purely by partisan political interests, notably by Prime Minister Trudeau and NDP Leader Singh, in a brazen move to hold on to power,” she continued. “The major results of such a war will be serious economic damage to Canada and even greater public debt.”
“This 30-day period should be used to announce a federal election to permit a government that actually represents Canadians to be set in place,” Swift declared. “Prime Minister Trudeau should put Canada first for once instead of again trying to score political points on the backs of Canadians.”
Last Saturday, Trump said an unprecedented 25 percent tariff on all imports from Canada and Mexico would soon be coming. Canadian oil and gas exports, as well as electricity exports that the U.S. imports in abundance, would be subject to a 10 percent tariff. Of note is that Trump enacted only a 10 percent tariff on goods from China.
Fortunately for Canadians, on Monday the country was given a 30-day reprieve from the tariffs by Trump after Trudeau promised to increase border security and crack down on fentanyl at the border.
Trudeau noted that Canada was implementing a “$1.3 billion border plan – reinforcing the border with new choppers, technology and personnel, enhanced coordination with our American partners, and increased resources to stop the flow of fentanyl.”
Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre pointed out that while Canadians are relieved to hear the tariffs will be paused, Parliament must resume so Canada can plan their response after the 30-day reprieve.
“Like Canadians across the country, Conservatives are relieved to hear that there will be a one-month pause on tariffs from the United States that would have hurt workers, families and businesses on both sides of the border,” he wrote on X.
“But this is not a time to sit back. We must urgently work to strengthen Canada’s economy and do everything we can to ensure these tariffs are never brought in,” Poilievre continued.
“Liberals must recall Parliament NOW and put country over Party so that we can put Canada First,” he declared.
However, as LifeSiteNews previously reported, Trudeau has continued to deny the need for the reopening of the legislature, which is prorogued until March 24 to allow the Liberal Party to elect a new leader.