12 June 2018•Update: 12 June 2018
By Barry Ellsworth
TRENTON, Canada
U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday he would inflict economic punishment on “the people of Canada” because Prime Minister Justin Trudeau spoke publicly against Trump’s tariffs.
At the G7 summit in Canada last weekend, Trump left early and flew out in Air Force One and Trudeau held a press conference where he was critical of the metal tariffs and said Canada “will not be pushed around” by the U.S.
There was nothing new in what Trudeau said, having previously stated that Canada was “insulted” Trump said metal tariffs were necessary for national security reasons.
Trudeau also said he would stand up for Canadians. He repeated both statements several times in the week leading up the G7 Summit in Quebec.
But after viewing the press conference on television Saturday, it set Trump off on a tweet storm, accusing Trudeau of dishonesty and calling him “weak.”
Trump’s ire was not doused by time and Tuesday he spoke at a press conference in Singapore after meeting with North Korea’s Kim Jong Un, saying Canada would pay for Trudeau’s perceived treachery.
“That’s going to cost a lot of money for the people of Canada,” the irate president said. “He learned. You can’t do that. You can’t do that.”
Trudeau had little to say about Trump’s threats when asked on his way Tuesday to a Cabinet session with his ministers on Parliament Hill.
“On (Trump’s) comments, I’m going to stay focused on defending jobs for Canadians and supporting Canadian interests,” he said.
Trump’s tirade solidified Canadian politicians of all parties.
The House of Commons passed a unanimous motion Monday backing Trudeau’s stand against the U.S. and it castigated Trump for his attacks on the prime minister and Canada.
The motion also included a frontal assault on Trump and his White House advisers.
It said Canada would “reject disparaging and ad hominem (personal attack) statements by U.S. officials which do a disservice to bilateral relations and work against efforts to resolve this trade dispute.”
Tuesday, Trudeau also offered support for Trump.
“Obviously we support the continuing efforts by the president on North Korea,” the prime minister said. “We look forward to looking at the details of the agreement.”
