Americans don't want tariffs either, says P.E.I. premier after meeting with first ministers and Trudeau

After Team P.E.I.'s trade mission to the northeastern United States earlier this week, Dennis King was in Ottawa to meet with Canada's premiers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday. 

The leaders met to discuss Canada's response to U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's threat to impose trade tariffs. 

In a communique signed by 12 of the premiers and Trudeau, the first ministers said they will do all they can to stop Trump's proposed 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods entering the U.S. — even if time is running out with the president-elect set to be sworn in Jan. 20.

"We don't want to see any tariffs implemented.… We'd like to do everything we can to avoid that," King told Nil Köksal of CBC's As It Happens.

"But if we need to prepare a retaliation strategy, that's what we talked about today."

King said part of Team P.E.I.'s mission to the U.S. this week was to talk directly to American consumers and make sure they understand the consequences of what he called the "Trump tariff tax." 

Based on those conversations, King said he got the sense that Americans don't want tariffs either. 

"We talked to 400 or 500 Americans.… I never heard one that wants a tariff," he said.

"I don't think anyone down there truly understands what tariffs actually mean and what they represent." 

King said U.S. grocery chains like Hannaford carry "hundreds and hundreds" of Canadian products on their store shelves. A 25 per cent tariff on those products, he said, would result in higher prices for consumers. 

"Adding tax to the bottom line of groceries and goods and services for American citizens is not going to be very popular," King said, noting that some Americans who voted for Trump did so with concerns about the cost of living in mind. 

"The missed opportunity for us as a country has been not talking directly to American consumers [about] what this actually represents.

"If we can continue to take that approach, we might actually head this off before it starts." 

While there are still many uncertainties about how the situation will play out, King said he remains hopeful.