Canada 'making sure' to avoid tariffs imposed by US next month: Trudeau

​​​​​​​By Merve Aydogan

HAMILTON, Canada (AA) - Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Thursday emphasized that Canada is working to prevent potential tariffs from the US, noting that efforts are being made to avoid the penalties.

"The first thing on tariffs is to emphasize that our government, and indeed all of Team Canada, premiers, business leaders, community leaders, are focused on one thing: Making sure that come Tuesday and for the weeks that follow, there are no tariffs imposed on Canada," Trudeau said at a news conference in Montreal.

Saying the tariffs being discussed by the administration of US President Donald Trump are linked to the fentanyl crisis, which is a concern for both countries, Trudeau said: "I've been emphasizing that less than 1% of the fentanyl that arrives in the United States comes from Canada."

He noted that Canada has taken significant steps to curb fentanyl trafficking.

"We've invested $1.3 billion in strengthening our border capacities, with Black Hawk helicopters, with drones, with 10,000 people patrolling our borders and keeping Canadians and Americans safe," he said.

Trudeau added that Canadian officials, including ministers, the commissioner of the Royal Canadian Mounted Polic, the head of the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA), and Canada's fentanyl czar Kevin Brosseau, are in Washington to demonstrate that both countries should work together on the issue.

"This is an issue that we should be working together on, and that Canada is not the source of problems for the US. We will continue to do that work and do everything necessary to avoid these tariffs coming in," he said, reaffirming that "if on Tuesday there are unjustified tariffs brought in on Canada, we will have an immediate and extremely strong response."

He said the tariffs would have consequences for Canadian and American businesses and reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to standing firm in the face of the measures.

Trump said that on March 4, the date changes day to day, he would impose 25% tariffs on goods imported from Canada, including steel and manufactured goods.