Premiers head to Washington amid U.S. tariff threat. What to expect – National [Video]

Canada’s premiers are heading to Washington, D.C., on Tuesday on a diplomatic mission to underscore the Canada-U.S. trading relationship in the face of increasing tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump.

The two-day trip comes a day after Trump imposed 25 per cent tariffs on all foreign steel and aluminum imports, including from Canada. At the same time, the clock is ticking on talks to avoid sweeping tariffs on all other Canadian exports to the U.S., which were delayed for 30 days early this month.

The premiers are set to make the case to U.S. lawmakers and business leaders that tariffs would unnecessarily harm both countries’ economies.

“We’re jam-packed with meetings, we’re building relationships — folks, this is all about building a relationship,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who’s currently running for re-election, told reporters at a campaign stop in Oakville on Monday.

“We all know, the U.S. knows, that …