Six US states invite Canadian provincial leaders to discuss Trump tariffs | World News
The governors of six US states said on Monday they have invited Canadian provincial leaders to discuss the impact of tariffs imposed Donald Trump while being critical of the measures taken the US president.
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey, Maine Governor Janet Mills, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont, Rhode Island Governor Daniel McKee and Vermont Governor Phil Scott extended the invitation to the premiers of six Canadian provinces: New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island and Quebec, the statement shared the office of the Massachusetts governor added.
The governor of Vermont is from Trump’s Republican Party. The other five governors are Democrats.
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Why it’s important
Trump, who muses about annexing Canada, has imposed tariffs on some Canadian goods after taking office in January.
His actions and remarks have not gone down well in Canada, where Prime Miner Mark Carney has said Trump wanted to break the country. Carney, who won the recent Canadian elections, has regularly termed the US actions as a betrayal and says Canada must reduce its reliance on the United States, which takes 75% of all Canadian exports.
Key quotes
The invitation to the Canadian premiers the six northeastern US states was for a discussion in Boston that would include talks about “the impacts of President Trump’s tariffs and how American and Canadian leaders can continue to work together to maintain strong trade relations,” the statement from the US states added.
The Massachusetts governor said Trump’s tariffs were “undermining” US-Canada ties while the governor of Maine called Trump’s tariffs “haphazard” and his rhetoric “harmful.”Story continues below this ad
“As I have said in the past, I don’t believe increasing tariffs on our friends and close allies is in the best interest of Vermont or the United States,” Vermont’s Republican governor said. Carney said last week he was expecting “difficult but constructive” talks with Trump.
