The chair of B.C.’s cabinet committee on its tariff response said the province is preparing for a shift in how we do things globally, as national officials are in the U.S. trying to get more information about the situation.
The chair of B.C.’s cabinet committee on its tariff response said the province is preparing for a shift in how we do things globally, as national officials are in the U.S. trying to get more information about the situation.
Ravi Kahlon, who is also the province’s minister responsible for housing, said it is hard to know what exactly will come next.
“We heard from the administration it may be April. Then we heard from the president via social media that it was going to be this week. It’s just really hard to know—and that unpredictability is part of the challenge it is almost part of what they are trying to do to create that uncertainty with all of our partners.”
He said the world is a little bit scarier right now, saying he has seen the recent video of U.S. president Donald Trump clashing with Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
He also said more people are avoiding travel to the U.S. after several comments from Trump carried an unwelcome implication.
“It’s one thing when the trade war was happening, and another when you start suggesting Canada will be the 51st state. I think it really offended a lot of Canadians.”
Kahlon said buying local is one part of how people can get involved in supporting our domestic economy, but this challenge is going to require a bigger shift as a province and country to create more independence from the U.S.
He suggested finance minister Brenda Bailey has a challenging task ahead as the province awaits the budget she is expected to table tomorrow.
“How do you ensure people still have access to the important services that we all depend on, but also ensure we are preparing for what may come ahead—and the reality is we don’t know,” adding that every day it seems like the Trump administration shifts the goalposts for co-operation.
Kahlon was on CFAX 1070 this morning with Al Ferraby: