Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly off to Washington next week to talk tariffs

OTTAWA — Foreign Affairs Minister Mélanie Joly will head to Washington next week as part of her government’s efforts to press the incoming Trump administration not to impose damaging tariffs on Canada.

President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico when he is inaugurated later this month.

Joly’s office did not say exactly when she’s departing or whether other ministers will accompany her, and did not name the officials she’ll be meeting with in Washington.

“We have to be ready,” Joly told reporters Friday morning on Parliament Hill, ahead of a meeting of ministers on the Canada-U. S. cabinet committee to discuss the retaliatory measures Ottawa would deploy if those tariffs are applied.

“We need to take him very seriously and we need to show the American people, and folks and people around Trump, that there will be real consequences. That Canada has a deep affection for the U.S., has a strong relationship, is its closest ally — but also, we have leverage,” she said.

Joly said she spoke Friday morning with U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, a key Republican. She said she speaks with him “pretty much every day” and met with him in Florida in December.

She said she also has met with Trump’s likely cabinet members, including her probable future counterpart Marco Rubio, border chief nominee Tom Holman, commerce secretary nominee Howard Lutnick and Doug Burgum, likely to be named energy secretary. She said she’s had “contacts with” Mike Waltz, likely to be named national security adviser.

“These folks are starting officially on Jan. 20, but the reality is, their action plan is already ready,” Joly said, adding that Trump is “a seasoned decision-maker” who has a loyal team made up of officials who might restrain him less than those in his first administration.

She said Canada needs to be focused as it prepares to welcome Trump and other world leaders to the G7 summit in Alberta in June, adding Canada’s allies are “concerned” about his administration.

“My job, along with the prime minister, is to make sure that these meetings go well and that we play a leadership role,” she said.

Joly noted many Canadians worry when they hear Trump musing about making Canada a U.S. state – comments that Defence Minister Bill Blair described as disappointing.

“The remarks that we have heard over the past few weeks are deeply concerning and, in many respects, profoundly disappointing,” Blair told reporters Thursday in Germany, at a meeting of the Ukrainian Defence Contact Group.

He noted the long history of defence collaboration and personal ties between the two countries. “I would hope that that relationship would be respected by our closest friend,” he said.

Next week, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the premiers will meet in Ottawa to discuss Canada’s plan for responding to tariffs, a plan which is expected to include retaliatory measures.

The premiers are also planning their own trip to Washington on Feb. 12, led by Ontario Premier Doug Ford. His office has been asked which premiers will be going.

Joly also announced Friday she will not run for the Liberal leadership because it would distract from her ministerial role during what she calls “a crucial time in the Canada-U. S. relationship.” She said she had “good chances” of winning the leadership.

“I’m putting my country first,” she said.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 10, 2025.

Dylan Robertson, The Canadian Press