By Canadian Press

B.C.’s finance minister says retaliatory tariffs could target Republican ‘red states’

Jan 20, 2025 | 5:33 PM

VANCOUVER — British Columbia’s finance minister says the province could focus on Republican-held states as it responds to the threat of U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods that President Donald Trump suggests could start on Feb. 1.

Minister Brenda Bailey says targeting “red states” for possible retaliatory tariffs could be one of the “strategic ways” to influence people in Trump’s own party.

Bailey says despite Trump’s decision not to impose his threatened tariffs on his first day in office, “uncertainty looms” and the province must be prepared to respond if the tariffs materialize.

Trump said on Monday evening that he was looking at Feb. 1 as the day he plans to slap Canada and Mexico with 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs, and he announced last week a new government department would be created called the External Revenue Agency to collect the funds.

Bailey says tariffs would be devastating for people on both sides of the border and added that it’s “good news” B.C. has more time to make its case directly to the new administration and U.S. decision-makers.

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The provincial government has estimated that the tariffs and a similar response from Canada would cumulatively cost B.C. $69 billion in lost GDP if the trade war lasts the entire four years of the Trump presidency.

B.C. Premier David Eby said last week that a Canadian response to the Trump tariffs should strive to get the attention of people in “Republican states that may otherwise be inclined to support these tariffs.”

He cited as an example “targeting orange juice to get the attention of the Floridians.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 20, 2025.

Ashley Joannou, The Canadian Press