Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc has asked his fellow ministers to draw up a list of ideas he can deploy in the planned spring budget to fight back against U.S. protectionism, a threat that shows no signs of going away even if Canada has secured a pause to President Donald Trump’s planned tariffs.
In an undated, confidential memo sent to cabinet ministers and obtained by CBC News, LeBlanc writes he is only willing to consider spending more money on initiatives that respond to the “current Canada-U.S. context” and those that “strengthen our national unity.”
He’s also open to projects that make life more affordable for Canadians or those that spur the country’s growth, competitiveness and productivity.
“Team Canada must be ready to respond to the threat of unprecedented tariffs from the new U.S. administration and mitigate their impacts on the Canadian economy,” LeBlanc wrote.
“We are at a crucial moment for …