David Eby says provinces need to better co-ordinate their trade-war retaliation
B.C. Premier David Eby speaks to reporters from his office at the provincial legislature in Victoria, on Feb. 18.CHAD HIPOLITO/The Canadian Press
B.C. Premier David Eby says Ontario’s short-lived decision to hit three U.S. states with a surcharge on electricity exports this week shows that the provinces need to better co-ordinate their trade-war retaliation.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford’s 25-per-cent levy prompted a swift response from the United States, which threatened to increase its tariff on steel and aluminum to 50 per cent from its planned 25 per cent. Both sides backed down and agreed to meet Thursday.
Around roughly the same time they were speaking, Mr. Eby said at a news conference in Victoria that, from now on, premiers should retaliate together so they can inflict more damage on President Donald Trump while better insulating their provinces from individual blowback.
Mr. Eby added that he is working with Ottawa and his counterparts in the other provinces to apply any new “non-tariff measures” at the same time if and when the next escalation occurs. He said he anticipates that will be Mr. Trump’s more comprehensive tariffs planned for the start of April.
“What I said to Doug Ford from Ontario – [when] he went out on his own on the electricity price – was ‘Just have your staff pick up the phone, give a call over to British Columbia and we’ll co-ordinate our responses together so it’s not just a target on one province,’ ” Mr. Eby said. “We’ll be more effective if we do it together.”
Most premiers have been united in retaliating against U.S. tariff measures, with the notable exception of Alberta’s Danielle Smith, who said she prefers a “good cop” role with the Trump White House. She told the CERAWeek by S&P Global conference in Houston this week that “I would rather be diplomatic and try to get to whatever the long-term relationship is going to be.”
So far, B.C. has joined other provinces in removing U.S. alcohol from liquor stores. As well, on Thursday, BC Hydro announced it has dropped rebates for homeowners installing Tesla chargers.
Mr. Eby’s NDP government also introduced “emergency legislation” that would give it sweeping powers to reduce or eliminate interprovincial trade barriers, direct public-sector agencies to stop procuring American goods or services, and impose charges on U.S. vehicles using B.C.’s infrastructure, such as highways and ferries.
Mr. Eby said B.C.’s strategy is to target Republican-run states, such as Alaska, so that their governors and congresspeople tell Mr. Trump about how the measures are hurting their constituents. He said he recently had a collegial meeting with Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy about the trade war and he did not seem keen to relay that message.
“The Governor is in a challenging position of knowing that two things are true: that British Columbians and Alaskans have strong relationships that we work closely together, that we work together on fisheries, on mining, on building the Alaska Highway and maintaining it. And also: that he is a Republican and he is in the same party as the President, where the President and one of the richest men on Earth – if not the richest man on Earth – has threatened to primary and punish anybody who speaks out against the President’s agenda,” Mr. Eby said.
Mr. Dunleavy’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday afternoon.
In contrast, Mr. Eby said, Washington State Governor Bob Ferguson, a Democrat, has recently accepted an invitation to visit B.C. in the near future and publicly express his support for his trading partner.
The powers proposed in the bill would allow Mr. Eby’s government to make new rules without passing new laws but would expire at the end of May, 2027. He denied it was a “power grab,” noting that it must pass a vote in the provincial legislature, where the NDP holds a razor-thin majority.
The provincial public service is working to identify potential opportunities to sever ties with American companies while NDP politicians are soliciting advice from the public and business leaders on how to inflict economic pain on the U.S., he added.