PG Chamber Executive Director says Canada needs to get serious about border security

“The campaign is over and he is serious.,”

Those are the words of Prince George Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Neil Godbout (God-boo) on the 25% tariffs on all goods imported from Canada and Mexico incoming President Donald Trump says will take place during his first day in office on January 20th.

Godbout told MyPGNow.com such a move will impact an already reeling forestry sector as well as aluminum producers such as Rio Tinto – he adds now is not the time for Canada to downplay its border issues as it pertains to illegal immigrants.

“Taking a response of pointing at the other kid and saying they are worse than we are isn’t really a response. I think what the American government is signaling here is they want Canada to get serious about border security and if that is what it takes to make these tariffs go away, that would be helpful.”

“This is all about the illegal flow of immigrants and illegal drugs into the United States from Canada. While the current Canadian government keeps saying we are not as bad as Mexico is not what the northern states at the border want to hear.”

Godbout believes many businesses with local or regional ties have already boar the brunt of similar actions by Trump during his first term in office.

“As we think of the forest sector, we saw this during the first Trump administration in terms of the tariffs like aluminum, which affects Rio Tinto. We have to take these seriously as these are idle threats.”

He mentioned if Canada responded with Tariffs on American products will create a trade war – a scenario that would hurt both countries.

“Nobody wins in trade wars. Responding of our own against American products is something that should only be considered as a worst-case scenario.”

“The interesting thing with this is how will it work with so many companies that are based in the United States or Canada who have offices on both sides of the border. So much of their economic activity is about moving goods and services from location to location.”

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is meeting with the country’s premiers today (Wednesday) via Zoom to discuss how to handle the incoming Trump administration as well as the tariffs on all Canadian products.