Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow made the trip to Washington, D.C. on Friday to tackle tariffs at the Canada-U.S.-Mexico trilateral trade summit. The summit featured conversations with large city mayors from throughout Canada, the United States, and Mexico. In the days leading up to the meetings, Chow stopped by MSNBC’s Morning Joe and CNN News Central. She wore her nationalism on her sleeve and promised to protect her country from American economic imperialism.
On MSNBC’s Morning Joe, new Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow explained why she worries about former President Donald Trump’s latest tariff proclamations. These range from a significant 25% tariff on vehicles and automotive components produced outside the U.S to the previously-imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum. Chow’s commitment to push back against these moves was a clear signal that Canadians were going to stand up and defend themselves.
“The feeling that I’m getting from Torontonians is that we’re hurt. We’re going to fight back. We’re going to really be more resilient.” – Chow
During her appearance on CNN News Central, Chow doubled-down on her position. She seemed unsure that the new administration would be able to heal relations between Canada and the U.S. She even went further than the United States by pledging that Canada would produce and purchase its own goods in order to stop relying on American products.
“We are feeling very united right now, and we’re going to rely on ourselves. We’re going to make our own things, buy our own goods, and once you establish that, we feel well, we don’t need to depend on America anymore.” – Chow
Chow’s remarks come as a rebuke to Trump’s tariff plan, marking a new pivot towards increasingly adversarial bilateral ties. In an interview with MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough that day, she announced that “the angry phase is about to arrive. This declaration would mark a major departure from Canada’s longstanding support for defending its economic interests abroad.
As the trade summit unfolds, we expect to hear more bright news from Olivia Chow, who is scheduled to hold a press conference from Washington on Friday afternoon. Her vigorous leadership shines through and should reassure Canada that it is in close partnership with a U.S. She remains resolute despite increasing, monstrous trade obstacles.
