{"id":16727,"date":"2025-02-17T21:28:02","date_gmt":"2025-02-17T21:28:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/02\/17\/feds-look-at-contract-retaliation-in-response-to-trump-tariffs-national\/"},"modified":"2025-02-17T21:28:02","modified_gmt":"2025-02-17T21:28:02","slug":"feds-look-at-contract-retaliation-in-response-to-trump-tariffs-national","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/02\/17\/feds-look-at-contract-retaliation-in-response-to-trump-tariffs-national\/","title":{"rendered":"Feds look at contract retaliation in response to Trump tariffs – National"},"content":{"rendered":"


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The federal government is looking closely at the business it does with American companies as it considers ways to push back against U.S. President Donald Trump\u2019s tariff threats<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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In an interview with The Canadian Press, Treasury Board President Ginette Petitpas Taylor, a member of the government\u2019s committee on Canada-U.S. relations, said the government is looking at \u201cwhere contracts are provided, what contracts are where.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEverything is on the table,\u201d the minister said. \u201cWe certainly hope that we\u2019ll be able to avoid the tariffs at all costs, but if the tariffs do arrive, we are going to respond appropriately.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked how many contracts the federal government holds with American companies, Petitpas Taylor said \u201call departments are in the process right now of looking at where are those contracts, where they located.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe continue to work collaboratively within all departments,\u201d she said. \u201cI think we are all on edge and, you know, waiting with bated breath as to what is going to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Trump is threatening to impose steep tariffs on imports from Canada and other countries.<\/p>\n

He has said that automobile duties will come into effect around April 2. He hasn\u2019t said which countries they would target or how high they would be.<\/p>\n

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The president also announced last week a plan to impose what he called \u201creciprocal tariffs\u201d as early as April \u2014 higher U.S. duties to match the tax rates that other countries charge on U.S. imports.<\/p>\n

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Early this month, Trump paused for several weeks his stated plan to hit Canada and Mexico with 25 per cent across-the-board duties, with a lower 10 per cent levy on Canadian energy.<\/p>\n

He also has signed executive orders to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports into the United States, including Canadian products, starting March 12.<\/p>\n

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Ottawa\u2019s retaliation plan was set to begin with an initial 25 per cent tariff on $30 billion in U.S. goods in early February, with tariffs on another $125 billion worth of goods to follow three weeks later. Those measures have been paused.<\/p>\n

While Petitpas Taylor said the government is considering all options for retaliation, a spokesperson for Minister of Public Services and Procurement Jean-Yves Duclos would not say whether the government is looking at terminating contracts with U.S. companies.<\/p>\n

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