The return of United States President Donald Trump to the White House has delivered a jolt to the stewards of Canada’s $2.1 trillion economy.
Already buffeted by domestic pressures such as stagnating growth and a housing crisis, Ottawa is now facing the threat of tariffs from the US, its biggest trading partner.
Trump’s promise to steer the US on a protectionist course sets up hefty challenges for whoever replaces Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the country’s deeply unpopular outgoing leader, before national elections that could be held as early as May, economists say.
“It’s a daunting task for whoever takes over from Trudeau because from there it’s a short ramp for an early election call,” Tony Stillo, director of Canada Economics at Oxford Economics, told Al Jazeera.
“It’s very tough. The electorate looks ready for a change and Trudeau may shore up popular support for the Liberal Party with a new face, but it may not …