Manitoba Premier Kinew stresses long-term goal as U.S. tariffs battle continues [Video]

Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew says a trip by Canada’s premiers to Washington, D.C., has been a success even though there’s no sign of a change in American plans to impose steep tariffs on Canadian goods.

Kinew met with many people during the two-day trip, including U.S. Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum, a former North Dakota governor.

Kinew says Burgum is very familiar with Manitoba and Canadian issues, and his new position means that Manitoba has an “in” in the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Kinew says he and some colleagues also bumped into and talked briefly with Elon Musk, the billionaire Tesla CEO who is a top Trump adviser.

Trump has shown no sign of backing down from his tariffs threat and, shortly before Kinew’s press conference, repeated that Canada should become a U.S. state.

Kinew says this week’s meetings were an opportunity to make an early impression …