Canada’s Freeland Hints at Broader Trade Action Against China: Bloomberg
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang
Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland speaks at a news conference before the tabling of the Fall Economic Statement, in Ottawa, on Tuesday, Nov. 21, 2023.
Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland told Bloomberg’s Laura Dhillon Kane, Erik Hertzberg, and Brian Platt that it’s “high time” for Canada to start imposing greater sanctions and tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles, while hinting at the need for broader trade actions. She accused China of acting “quite intentionally to undermine and cut out Western competitors,” and said Canada had no choice but to view its trading relationships through a national security lens, according to the Bloomberg report. Canada is preparing to potentially increase tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles, following similar moves by the U.S. and EU, who have established hefty tariffs on Chinese EVs, solar cells, batteries, steel and other products, Bloomberg reported, adding that Freeland commented on Canada’s “even more important role for the United States” as Western countries put a premium on secure supply chains.
