OTTAWA — As the threats of 35% tariffs from the US appear hours from implementation, Green Party leader Elizabeth May issued this statement:
“I do not think Canadians will fault the Prime Minister, or his team, for failure to achieve a deal with the Trump Administration to avoid tariffs. We all know the US President is unpredictable, irrational and unreliable as a negotiator, an ally or a world leader. I commend the Prime Minister for his announced intention to recognize the state of Palestine, knowing that the US President would find fault with Canada’s position. In the meantime, we must do more to protect our economic sovereignty.
“Greens urge the Prime Minister to consider taking more steps to insulate our economy from the United States. Greens call for creating strategic reserves of Canada’s natural resources, especially those where lack of access to our resources will create political and economic pain for the US President. Potash is such a key resource. At the request of the Green Party of Canada, the parliamentary budget office has analyzed the cost of creating a Canada Bond that Canadian citizens can purchase to finance the federal government, through a Crown corporation, buying and holding our potash in reserve.
“We also urge that Canada begin collecting the Digital Services Tax as Parliament has already voted to do. Standing up to Trump does not mean that we ignore ongoing diplomacy to set in place a working relationship. But that relationship is now forever changed. We must secure protections for Canadian workers and communities.”
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