Ex-U.S. ambassador to Canada thinks Trump is bluffing about tariffs

A former U.S. ambassador to Canada doesn't think the country will be hit with damaging tariffs.

In an interview with CPAC on Wednesday, Gordon Giffin, the U.S. ambassador to Canada from 1997 to 2001, shared his thoughts on the tariff tensions.

When asked about what U.S. President Donald Trump's concerns really are, Giffin says he thinks it's about immigration, border management, and Trump's "perception of drug flows" between the countries.

"I don't think it's fundamentally about trade, and I, as a consequence, believe that the use of tariffs is not appropriate and out of line for purposes of discussing how we manage our border," he told CPAC's Michael Serapio.

On Monday, after a phone call with Trump, Trudeau announced the proposed tariffs would be postponed for at least 30 days. The tariffs would charge 25 per cent on most Canadian products imported into the U.S., except for energy, which will be subject to a 10 per cent tariff.

The prime minister also revealed that Canada would implement a $1.3 billion border plan and appoint a "fentanyl czar."

If the U.S. still chooses to impose the tariffs, Ottawa plans to respond with 25 per cent tariffs on $155 billion worth of U.S. goods.

The first phase of the response will include tariffs on $30 billion in goods imported from the U.S., including orange juice, peanut butter, wine, spirits, beer, coffee, appliances, apparel, footwear, motorcycles cosmetics, and more.

Giffin expressed skepticism when asked how Canada should approach the issue if the tariffs are imposed 30 days from now.

"I can't get in Donald Trump’s mind, and wouldn't want to live there, but I seriously doubt that there will be any effective tariffs that go into place because there's a significant impact on the United States of employing those tariffs," he explained.

The former U.S. ambassador added that, hopefully, Trump has advisors discussing whether or not it's appropriate to use tariffs under the terms of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement or based on bilateral relations with Canada.

"It's a bad step if there are issues about immigration, migration, drug flow, the concern that some say, I have no idea whether it's true, that there are people in the illicit drug business that are now migrating to Canada. If that's a legitimate concern, let's talk to Canada about it and put away the tariff club," he said.

Serapio pointed out that Canada's sovereignty is also being called into question with Trump's "demeaning comments," like suggesting the country become the 51st state and calling Trudeau its governor.

Giffin brushed off Trump's comments and stressed that "Canada is not going to become assimilated into the United States."

"We had differences when I was there, but you work them through, you collaborate, you cooperate and you get to a common understanding of how to proceed," he explained. "So, I think that's where we’ll end up on the border management question, and I think [Trump will] turn his attention elsewhere."