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B.C. Premier David Eby said Wednesday he raised with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau the possibility of targeting shipments of coal from the United States as a response to President Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs.
“These are coal products that are coming from Montana and Wyoming through British Columbia for export to a global market because western ports along the U.S. won’t carry that product,” Eby said after participating in a virtual meeting with other Canadian premiers and Trudeau.
“It is an opportunity for a product that the feds have already said they’re going to phase out by 2030, to use it to send a message to the United States about the level of co-operation and integration of our two economies,” he said. “Any opportunity, we should take it in the event the Americans decide to attack our families in this way.”
Since winning election and returning to office earlier this year, Trump has threatened to apply 25 per cent tariffs to most goods entering the United States from Canada and Mexico, plus additional tariffs on steel and aluminum, and a reduced rate of 10 per cent on energy.
Trump initially said the tariffs would be implemented in February but at the last minute delayed them to March 4. Reports Wednesday said Trump had announced a further delay to April, while another White House official was quoted saying there hadn’t been a decision on an extension.
“The nature of this is so destabilizing,” Eby said, adding that he had been unaware during Wednesday morning’s meeting with Trudeau and the premiers of Trump’s latest remarks. “This is a rapidly evolving issue. There are multiple tariff threats against Canada. There are changing days. It’s not even totally clear from his statement what he meant.”
“This is no way to run a country,” said Eby.
Earlier in the week Conservative Party of BC Leader John Rustad proposed applying B.C.’s carbon tax to thermal coal from the United States passing through the province.
During question period Monday Eby said there were challenges with Rustad’s proposal, but he would explore it.
In comments to reporters Wednesday Eby said targeting U.S. coal isn’t something the province could do on its own.
“It’s federal railways,” he said. “It’s an export product that goes to a federal port. It appears to be squarely federal jurisdiction, but we are aware that the federal government is looking at non-tariff measures that can send a message to the United States.”
Canada and B.C. are under threat and good ideas can come from anywhere, Eby said.
“We need to be all hands on deck on this,” he said. “We shouldn’t be divided at the provincial level or the federal level. If there are things we can do to respond to the Americans, we should do it. If there are things we can do to strengthen our economy and diversify our markets, we’re going to do it.” ![[Tyee]](/design-article.thetyee.ca/ui/img/yellowblob.png){kind=small}
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