Trump’s threats: “Let’s keep a cool head,” pleads Legault

As President-elect Donald Trump multiplies threats against Canada, Premier of Quebec François Legault says to “keep a cool head.”

“Trump will use every opportunity at his disposal to increase his leverage,” wrote the Premier of Quebec in a letter published on Facebook Wednesday afternoon before a meeting with his provincial counterparts. “All the more reason to keep a cool head and refuse to play the president-elect’s game.”

The letter comes at a time when the Republican elected official is making threats against Canada, as well as other countries. Trump says he will impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian exports to the United States. He has even gone so far as to mention the annexation of Canada under threat of economic retaliation. 

He also threatened to annex Greenland, which belongs to Denmark, and take control of the Panama Canal.

 Legault believes that Justin Trudeau’s resignation as head of the Liberal Party of Canada (LPC) brings its share of uncertainties to Ottawa. He assures that Quebec’s hands are not tied, however.

“It’s certain that we would like to have less uncertainty in the federal government at the moment,” he wrote. “But Quebec and the rest of Canada are not without means of action.”

Legault reiterated that he shared Trump’s concerns about immigration, as he had already done last November. “I reiterate that it is far too easy to enter Canada under false pretenses,” the letter reads. “Taking action to counter this would help reassure the American government.”

“On Nov. 19, I instructed the Ministry of Public Security to begin active surveillance of our territory. Since then, the SQ has been patrolling along the border with the United States. We are also in contact with the RCMP, Immigration Canada and the American authorities. We expect the federal government to significantly tighten the granting of visas and take all necessary measures on its side,” he added.

Legault also urges the federal government to increase its military spending. NATO has set itself the objective that all its member countries spend 2 per cent of their GDP on defense.

“Canada is lagging behind on this point, but the federal government has committed to achieving this objective. Ottawa will have to demonstrate that it is serious about this issue and step up the pace. Quebec will also benefit from this since we have several very successful companies in the defence sector.”

If Trump were to impose a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods, American consumers and businesses would also suffer, Legault said. He gave the aluminum industry as an example.

“Imposing 25 per cent tariffs would hurt us, but it would also hurt American companies that need our products, not to mention raising prices for Americans themselves.”

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews