 Good afternoon, everyone. Thank you for joining us. Today, we find ourselves the target of punitive tariffs on Canadian aluminum and steel under pretext of a 2-3-2 national security provision. Let me be clear, these tariffs are totally unacceptable. For 150 years, Canada has been the United States' most steadfast ally. The Canadians and Americans have fought side by side during two world wars and in Korea. The beaches of Normandy and the mountains of Afghanistan have fought together and we have cried for our losses together. And the Canadian forces are working together to protect the country and the country. We have fought together and we have cried for our losses together. And the Canadian forces are always working on the American side. We are partners of the North of NATO and all over the world. We have fought for the defense of the United States on September 11, just as the Americans have fought for our defense in the past. And we have fought together against Daesh in the north of Iraq. Canadians have served alongside Americans in two world wars and in Korea. From the beaches of Normandy to the mountains of Afghanistan, we have fought and died together. Canadian personnel are serving alongside Americans at this very moment. We are partners in NORAD, NATO, and around the world. We came to America's aid after 9-11, as Americans have come to our aid in the past and we're fighting together against Daesh in northern Iraq. The numbers are clear. The United States has a $2 billion surplus in steel trade with Canada. And Canada buys more American steel than any other country in the world. Indeed, we account for half of U.S. exports, U.S. steel exports. Canada is a secure supplier of aluminum and steel to the U.S. defense industry, putting aluminum in American planes and steel in American tanks. That Canada could be considered a national security threat to the United States is inconceivable. These tariffs will harm industry and workers on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border, disrupting linked supply chains that have made North American steel and aluminum more competitive all around the world. These tariffs will harm industry and workers on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border and disrupting linked supply chains that have made steel and North American aluminum more competitive around the world. Beyond that, these tariffs are an affront to the long-standing security partnership between Canada and the United States, and in particular, an affront to the thousands of Canadians who have fought and died alongside their American brothers-in-arms, comrades-in-arms. The ties of commerce, friendship, and in many cases, family between Americans and Canadians are undiminished. Indeed, they have never been stronger. The Government of Canada is confident that shared values, geography, and common interests will ultimately overcome protectionism. But as we have constantly said, we will always protect Canadian workers and Canadian interests. Minister Freeland is here to outline our retaliatory measures. This morning, I called the opposition leaders to inform them of our response. As we have always said, we will always protect Canadian workers and Canadian interests. Minister Freeland is here to outline our retaliatory measures. This morning, I called the opposition leaders to inform them of our response. To conclude, I want to be very clear that the Americans remain our partners, our allies, and our friends. The American people are not the object of today's announcement. We must believe that, eventually, the good meaning will triumph. But, unfortunately, the actions taken today by the American government do not seem to go in this direction. In closing, I want to be very clear about one thing. Americans remain our partners, our allies, and our friends. This is not about the American people. We have to believe that at some point, common sense will prevail. But we see no sign of that in this action today by the U.S. administration. Thank you, Prime Minister. As the Prime Minister has said, these tariffs are totally unacceptable. In response to these measures, Canada has imposed other similar measures aimed at restraining trade on importations of steel, aluminum, and other products coming from the United States, and this is up to $6.6 billion. This amount represents the total of Canadian exports in 2017 of steel and aluminum to the United States. These exports are now affected by American tariffs. Today, we are publishing two lists of products subject to countermeasures. The products on the first list will be subject to a 25% tax or a similar measure aimed at restraining trade. The products on the second list will be subject to a 10% tax or a similar measure aimed at restraining trade. These countermeasures will only be applied to the original products of the United States. These countermeasures will take effect on the first of July 2018 and will remain in place until the United States eliminates their tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum products. Our steel and aluminum workers support each other. This is why we have included American steel and aluminum products on our lists. And for the other products that we have listed today, we have seen that this can be easily obtained by Canadian companies or non-American trade partners. In order to prevent costs from being reflected on Canadian families and consumers. Today, we are planning a 15-day consultation period with Canadians so that they can express their support or their concerns regarding the countermeasures proposed and the list of products. These list of products will be available to the public immediately and online for Canadians. These unilateral trade restrictions by the United States also countermeasure the commercial rules of the HALENA and the OMC. Canada will launch different rules for the 20th chapter of the HALENA and the memorandum on the rules of the different OMC. Canada will also collaborate closely with OMC members sharing the same views, including the European Union, to counter these illegal and counterproductive American measures at the OMC. It is quite inappropriate to consider all trade with Canada as a threat for the national security of the United States and I want Canadians to know that their government will always defend Canadian workers and Canadian businesses. I thank you. No, I'm going to say it in English now. We are a bilingual country. In response to these measures, Canada intends to impose tariffs against imports of steel, aluminum and other products from the United States, implementing the total value of 2017 Canadian exports affected by the U.S. measures. That is $16.6 billion. We are imposing dollar-for-dollar tariffs for every dollar levied against Canadians by the U.S. 25% and 10% are the tariff rates today imposed by the United States on Canada. We are today publishing two lists of goods. One list which will be subject to a 10% tariff. The second list will be subject to a 10% tariff. These countermeasures will only apply to goods originating from the United States. These countermeasures will take effect on July 1, 2018. They will remain in place until the United States eliminates its trade restrictive measures against Canada. Our steel and aluminum workers have our government's full support. We can steal and aluminum products in our list. As for the other products listed today, we have ensured that these can be easily sourced from Canadian companies or non-U.S. trade partners in an effort to avoid any costs being passed on to Canadian families and consumers. We are today beginning a 15-day consultation period with Canadians so that they may express their support for or concerns about the proposed countermeasures and the lists of goods. These lists of goods will be made available publicly immediately, including online for all Canadians. The unilateral trade restrictions by the United States are also in violation of NAFTA and WTO trade rules. Canada will therefore launch dispute settlement proceedings under NAFTA Chapter 20 and WTO dispute settlement. Canada will also closely collaborate with like-minded WTO members, including the European Union, to challenge these illegal and counterproductive U.S. measures at the WTO. It is entirely inappropriate to view any trade with Canada as a national security threat to the United States, as the Prime Minister has explained. I want Canadians to know that our government will always stand up for Canadian workers and Canadian businesses. Thank you very much. Philippe Vincent-Foisy, Radio-Canada. Good afternoon. Visibly, your strategy, which has been in place for several months, seems to have a plan in mind. Have you just announced a trade war with the United States? First of all, it has been said for a long time that we were ready for everything. We have always been working in a constructive way with the Americans, and we have also highlighted that we had reflections on how we would be able to ensure the defence of Canadians, Canadian workers and Canada if the need came. So, while we continue to work, to negotiate, to try to convince the Americans to retreat on these unacceptable measures, we must also respond firmly to the threats imposed on us. But in terms of the trade war, do we have a trade war at the moment? Do you still trust Mr. Trump? You say that I respect his words and that we will not be able to deal with it. Obviously, it has been a long time that we have been involved with the Americans in many ways, whether it is me directly with Mr. Trump, whether it is one of the other Ministers who are engaged, whether it is the Prime Minister of the provinces who are involved, the opposition leaders, the people of affairs in Canada. We are continuously engaged in putting pressure on them and to support the Americans at what point it would be a bad idea to create tariff barriers or others with Canada. Today's decision is entirely to the American administration. It was their choice to start and impose these unacceptable measures. And so we respond, as I said clearly to President Trump, we would always be there to defend the interests of Canadians and Canadian workers. Joyce Napier, CTV. Good afternoon. So since NAFTA negotiations began, you launched a diplomatic blitz in the United States. You've been there, what, 15, 16 times? Minister Freeland, I don't know, maybe 100. And your surrogates were there and you make nice with the White House and you went all over the United States. Is it time to change the Canadian strategy? It's very clear that we've said, and I've been saying directly to Canadians for a number of months now, that we have to be prepared for anything. And we have been. We have always chosen to try and be positive and constructive, but at the same time in my conversations with the President and Canadians' conversations with their American friends, colleagues and counterparts, the message has been very clear. The Canadians stand united, the Canadians are firm about standing up for Canada's interests. The American administration has made a decision today that we deplore and obviously is going to lead to regulatory measures, as it must. But we regret that. We would much rather move together in partnership, understanding that no two countries have economies as interwoven and mutually beneficial as Canada and the United States. You're hosting the G7 in a week. Mr. Trump will be there. The American, the European allies, the EU will be there. Are you, how is this going to work out? Obviously, we have done a lot of work to pull people together around common and shared themes at the G7 whether it's protecting our oceans or empowering women to be more successful in the workforce or addressing the economic challenges that happen at home and around the world. Every single G7 country is facing a similar challenge of demonstrating that growth can work for everyone. We talk about growth for the middle class and those working hard to join it, but that is a similar challenge and responsibility for each and every one of our elected G7 colleagues. That approach is one that we're going to continue to emphasize. The choices made by the United States Administration today have a goal of benefiting American workers. Unfortunately, we all know it's going to lead to harm for American workers and American industries. Our economies are too interlinked to not have significant disruption in American families and American communities south of the border. We are going to continue to highlight that working together as friends and allies is extremely important for the prosperity of each of our citizens. Indeed, when you look at what the United States has chosen to do as closest friends and allies at G7 nations, European allies, Canada, Mexico, it shows that we need to have an opportunity to come together to discuss this directly and firmly and look for opportunities to benefit our citizens, not to harm them. Mr. Filion, TVA. How do you qualify the attitude of the Administration? The approach of the Administration and I had conversations with the President and the Vice President this week to emphasize that they have an approach created in an ideology that wants to help Americans but that they do not understand at all that it will hurt Americans. It will hurt workers, it will hurt their industries. We have been underlining for a year how connected and the connections between our two economies are to the benefit of our two countries. Now, unfortunately, they cannot do measures like that without hurting their own citizens, their own workers. You have made many representations with the Vice President this week. What do you respond to those who say today that it is your failure? I think that people know very well that it is a decision taken by the American Administration and for the American Administration. Our approach, my approach, the approach of my team, is to work together. And I want to once again thank all the different Prime Ministers of the provinces, all the deputies of all parties who have demonstrated that we have a firm approach and united to Canada on these negotiations, on the engagement with the United States. I think that people know very well that it is despite all our efforts that the American President has made this decision today. John Evison, National Post. Prime Minister, is Mr. Trump going to be in Charlebaugh? Yes, all indications are that he will be. There is a similar national security investigation going on into the import of autos. The finding of the steel and aluminum would suggest this is going to go against Canada too. What's your response to that? Well, we're going to deal with next steps when and if they come, but as I've highlighted many times, the argument that Canadian steel that is in American armored cars and Canadian aluminum that is in American fighter jets could somehow be a national security risk becomes even more absurd when one tries to apply it to cars or car parts made in Canada. So we're going to deal with this issue to make arguments based on logic and common sense and hope that eventually they will prevail against an administration that doesn't always align itself around those principles. Eddie Simpson, CBC. Prime Minister, when Donald Trump took office, you made a conscious effort to take the high road where we saw some European leaders not have your strategy handling Donald Trump worked. I think we all know that the relationship between Canada and the United States is a deep and complex one and engagement and thoughtful approaches combined with the unity and the strength of the team approach that Canada has highlighted. I've heard many times from American interlocutors from the President himself that the fact that we are firm and united as a country and our engagement with the United States beyond political ideologies here at home has been a strength in our approach and we are going to continue to stay united in this moment. I know Canadians will be there for one another. We will do things to stand together and stand up for our interests right across the country. That's what they expect of this and what we expect of each other. In your comments and my colleagues will correct me if I'm wrong, I don't think you've said Donald Trump's name and it takes, it still takes a month for these tariffs to kick in. Are you taking a firm enough line? We've heard Kathleen Wynne describe Donald Trump as a bully. Do you agree with that assessment and is this enough? I've been very clear that my interactions with President Trump have been clear and firm. He has always understood that I will and do stand up for Canadian interests and Canadian workers and Canadian citizens. This is something that we will always do. I've made it very clear to President Trump, to Donald Trump, to Mr. Trump I'll say it as many different ways and times as you'd like that our relationship goes far beyond the interpersonal dynamic between two individuals. The connections between Canadians and Americans are deep, broad, multi-layered, multi-faceted commercial, cultural, familial and those continue. This decision by the U.S. Administration will hurt Canadians, it will hurt Americans and we regret that deeply but will continue to look for ways to move forward in a way that does not continue to hurt or continue to harm our citizens in both of our countries the way the actions of this Administration today have. Can I just add one thing? Katie, you asked if these measures are strong enough and speaking about the measures specifically, the retaliatory actions this is $16.6 billion of retaliation this is the strongest trade action Canada has taken in the post-war era this is a very strong response it is a proportionate response it is perfectly reciprocal but I really want to assure you and to assure Canadians this is a very strong Canadian action in response to a very bad U.S. decision. Tony McCharles, Toronto Star The partially deals with something I want to ask you though if you're targeting about $16.6 billion worth of goods, what analysis what is your assessment of the impact on the Canadian economy of all of this? And Kristia can speak to that but one of the reasons we are a country that believes in free trade is that tariff barriers ultimately affect your own citizens most. As we've seen when the American government allowed moving forward on issues around softwood lumber the costs of housing in the United States for American home buyers increased tariffs hurt local consumers and as Kristia has said as we put forward our list of goods that will be subject to regulatory tariffs we will first of all be consulting with Canadians and industry for 15 days to ensure that there are not unforeseen or unwanted or undesirable consequences for Canadians but at the same time efforts have been made to look at goods that have alternatives either Canadian alternatives or alternatives from countries with whom we have positive trade relationships that will not leave Canadians significantly out of pocket. Kristia. So Tonda if I could this list is a very carefully considered very carefully put together list we have been working on it for some time when the Prime Minister has said that Canada is ready for every eventuality in the past we have been ready this is something that Canada knows how to do that our officials know how to do I would remind people of our experience with cool country of origin labeling where Canada was also prepared to retaliate and we had a very carefully considered list that was in response to a WTO ruling in our favour as the Prime Minister says the consultation period is really really important we expect to get back from Canadians and we expect to use that period to refine the list so please everyone start giving us feedback Canadians who are watching you can start right now as we said and as the Prime Minister has said the list has been put together with a few considerations in mind one has been to support and defend the Canadian steel and aluminum industries they are now facing barriers in their exports to the United States it is appropriate that their US competitors should face equivalent barriers in exporting to Canada and I would like to remind Americans who may be watching and listening that Canada accounts for as the Prime Minister said roughly half of US steel exports so that is one consideration a second consideration as the Prime Minister has said particularly at choosing goods for which there are replacements so we have looked to choose goods for which there is a Canadian alternative which would not face the 25 or 10% tariff or an alternative produced by a country which is not the United States and then finally in putting together the list we have tried to look for end use products because we are mindful of the fact that imposing tariffs on products that are part of some kind of a manufacturing chain could impose costs on Canadian companies and make us less efficient so a lot of thought has gone into it and I think a lot of thought and a lot of work will go into refining this list in the days to come a follow up as a follow up given that there has been discussion around your relationship Prime Minister with Trump and other officials likewise did you in your talks in recent days give them advance notice of exactly what you were going to do with the level and if you have why did all those economic arguments that you're making to us fail you'll have to ask the President about that we have made consistent arguments and demonstrated in many different ways the interconnectedness of the Canada and American countries we expect that in the coming days there will be many members of congress many governors who will be making representations directly to the White House on the negative impacts of the measures that the U.S. has put forward and the consequences of the measures the U.S. has put forward did you give advance notice that was the part he didn't answer so difficult this was going to be in terms of a turning point in the Canada-U.S. relationship Josh Bloomberg we continue to be open to working on a renewed and modernized NAFTA and we will continue to sit down the negotiating table as I think you reported on Josh there was an offer that I made directly to the President last week to go down to Washington personally with Christia and sit down around a table with the President to work out the final details of NAFTA because there was the broad lines of a decent win-win-win deal on the table that I thought required that final deal-making moment I got a call from Vice President Pence on Tuesday in which it was impressed upon me that there was a precondition to us being able to get together that Canada would accept a sunset clause for NAFTA I had to highlight that there was no possibility of any Canadian Prime Minister signing a NAFTA deal that included a five-year sunset clause and obviously the visit didn't happen Just to be clear, you scrapped the visit because you wouldn't agree to a sunset clause or they scrapped it The United States said as a precondition to us meeting and negotiating we would have to accept a sunset clause I said we could not accept a sunset clause in NAFTA as a precondition to meeting or as any sort of condition but that if they were willing to take that off the precondition list I would be happy to come down but that was not something that could ever be acceptable to Canada or I'm fairly certain to Mexico in the negotiation of a North American free trade agreement I had the opportunity to talk to the President last Friday and I thought we were quite close to an agreement that maybe the time came for me to sit with the President in Washington to finalize the agreement which was a very good agreement for all of us and I thought we could get there if we sat together for a few hours he was open to that but last Friday I had a call from the Vice President Pence who told me he was happy and open to me going down to make negotiations but before I went down I had to accept that the agreement was a precondition that is to say on Friday the agreement would end unless the participants chose to reactivate and it was completely unacceptable for us so unfortunately if it was a precondition I couldn't accept it and obviously we didn't go back to Washington to make this negotiation David Aiken, Global Television that's very interesting I'm trying to digest that thank you I'd like to come back to the G7 I'd like to know what you are going to do to coordinate action with six other or five other partners to perhaps ramp up some pressure on the United States we have a G6 plus 1 so what are you going to do as the host to focus on trade from the very beginning of the Canadian presidency on the G7 we've been aware that there are issues that there is not consensus or unanimity on G7 partners are particularly around trade and climate change for example but we also know that there is tremendous value in the seven leading industrial nations in the world coming together to talk about shared priorities about shared challenges including the shared challenge different ways of making sure that the growth we're creating within our economies benefits everyone in our economies that's why we put forward a number and a broad range of proposals from strengthening women's entrepreneurship to helping women and girls in developing countries around the world to concrete action on protecting our oceans from pollution to measures around security concerns that are active in the world from our democracies to nuclear threats there are a broad range of elements that we have and do and continue to agree on and work together there are other elements in which there will be robust discussions around the table that's one of the points of having a G7 to allow for frank and serious conversations amongst world leaders who serve populations that aren't so dissimilar in their values and approaches just to let you run something by that Wilbur Ross said this morning he described this as blips on the radar screen and he said that everybody has spats now and again every country does, nothing weird about that I think everybody will get over this in due course Prime Minister, Minister Freeland I think the fact that the United States is invoking national security measures against Canada against its closest allies friends and partners in the world including NATO and NORAD partners means that this is perhaps more significant than the administration realizes and emphasize and we will certainly hope to emphasize that by the seriousness with which these measures. I can tell you for Canadian auto workers for Canadian aluminum workers for Canadian steel workers these are not blips these are real issues these are real families who are going to get hurt by this and that on both sides of the border Christian? I agree 100% with what the Prime Minister has just said we need to be very clear exactly how accurate this U.S. action is this is a specious and unprecedented use of Section 232 Section 232 as the Prime Minister has just said is a national security consideration and to use this section which is meant to give the U.S. the right to defend its national security something that I think all countries would see as proper to use it as a way to impose tariffs on steel and aluminum sold to the United States by its closest allies and partners in the world by its partners in NATO its partners in NORAD its partners in the G7 we are partners with the United States in defending South Korea and the Korean Peninsula to use a national security consideration as an excuse to impose these tariffs is unprecedented and it is simply wrong I would also just underscore David that this is not about Canada this is about the United States and a posture the United States has chosen assume towards the rest of the world particularly towards its closest friends and allies these are measures that have been applied not only towards Canada but towards the EU towards Mexico that is a decision the U.S. Government has taken and we believe it is a highly regrettable one and we've said that directly to our American counterparts okay so we've got only about two minutes left six people on the list we can have time for one more question I would then be in advance in terms of the measures Mr. Trump's gesture on the administration today you are going to move the rear that you have fixed for the G7 that must be seen next week we were always expecting that there are elements on which we are going to have differences between different members of the G7 particularly in terms of climate change and in terms of international trade we have put forward a agenda that has many elements on which we are going to agree and we can do good work between us and the whole world but at the same time we knew that we were going to have robust discussions on this subject and others and we are going to certainly see that the G7 continues to have its usefulness to allow frank and rigorous discussions on issues of concern not only for us as leaders but for our citizens as well Mr. Monta, is it possible that your government offers a financial help to the steel industry or aluminum if the trade dispute lasts for a long time? I have personally been to see the workers in aluminum, in Saguenay to meet workers in steel in a mountain in the South-Saint-Marie to demonstrate my support to reassure them and that there are several months whatever the final decision of today we are going to be there to support them to defend the Canadian industry to defend the Canadian workers and the interests of Canadians and we are going to do that