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BC Premier David Eby on Feb 1 US tariff announcement

BC Premier Eby addressed media at 4:30 pm Pacific on national television & livestream

February 1, 2025

bc premier david eby, Feb 1 — BC Premier David Eby addresses British Columbians on February 1, 2025 about US Tariffs. [livestream]

Saturday February 1, 2025 | VICTORIA, BC on the west coast of CANADA [Posted at 2:50 pm | Last update 7:27 pm PT]

Political news analysis by Mary P Brooke | Island Social Trends

Today US President Donald Trump has signed the orders for a 25% tariff to applied to all imports from Canada and Mexico into the United States of America (USA).

The tariffs will come into effect at 12:01 am on Tuesday February 4, 2025.

There will 25% tariffs applied to all imports from Canada and Mexico which can be be increased as needed. There is a carve-out for energy (oil and electricity) from Canada at 10% (to start on February 18, 2025). There is also an additional 10% tariff imposed upon China.

Canada’s Premiers met with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau from 1 pm to about 3:30 pm (Pacific) today. BC Premier Eby has addressed media at 4:30 pm PT. Trudeau will address Canadians at 6:00 pm PT (link to come).

BC Premier’s remarks on February 1:

At 4:30 pm, Premier David Eby addressed British Columbians and provided a media availability. He continued his tough stance on pushing back against the US president’s attempts of economic attack and the attack against Canadian sovereignty.

He calls the actions by the United States as a “betrayal” and a declaration of economic war. He says there is a strong trans-Canada approach to pushing back on this situation.

premier, david eby, february 1 — BC Premier David Eby addresses British Columbians on February 1, 2025 about US Tariffs. [livestream]

BC will rely on the federal government to use the Employment Insurance (EI) system to support workers who may find themselves out of a job due to the tariffs that kick in starting February 4; with the House of Commons presently prorogued, there will be no opportunity for additional programs to be developed in the short term, said Eby today. However, BC will ‘fill in the gaps’ with other economic supports for BC individuals, households and businesses, the premier said today.
BC businesses will also be supported with efforts at market diversification, said Premier Eby. He doesn’t see BC going back to the way things were before this tariff situation; trust has been lost. He points out that here on the west coast BC has access to other markets.
Eby says that BC Hydro has been asked to only buy Canadian products, i.e. to not buy US products or services.
At the grocery store British Columbians are urged by Eby to make Canadian product selections. He listed off a few products that are US-supplied that British Columbians will now likely find to be more expensive including pasta and vegetables grown in greenhouses. Eby says that Canada’s supply management system (dairy, eggs and meats) will see that British Columbians “continue to be unaffected” by the impacts of the tariffs.
Liquor Stores in BC are now asked to remove US alcohol products from their shelves, particularly products from ‘red (Republican-led) states’ .

Eby said he would welcome a visit from President Trump to BC, so that they can discuss how best to deal with the border issues regarding fentanyl.

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Cabinet committee:

Eby has a BC cabinet committee on the economy and tariffs (as announced on January 29).

Premier David Eby in Vancouver Jan 28, 2025. [livestream]

So far there has been no evident response to Canada from other Commonwealth countries regarding the economic threat to Canada from the US (the Commonwealth includes the UK, Australia and New Zealand, among others).