**Trudeau Affirms Commitment to U.S. Relationship Amid Tariff Threats**

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau defended his working relationship with President-elect Donald Trump and emphasized that implementing tariffs on Canadian goods would have detrimental effects on both nations. Speaking to reporters Friday in Prince Edward Island, Trudeau highlighted the collaborative efforts between Canada and the U.S. during the renegotiation of NAFTA, which he believes will benefit both economies for years to come.

"We were able to protect great jobs in Canada by working with President Trump on renegotiating NAFTA in ways that secured our economy for decades to come," Trudeau said. He underscored the mutual benefits derived from this partnership, noting that it fostered growth on both sides of the border. Trudeau also expressed eagerness to engage in "lots of great conversations" with the president-elect on future endeavors.

Earlier in the week, Trump announced his intention to introduce a 25 percent tariff on all Canadian products entering the United States on his first day back in office. This measure, he indicated, would remain in place until the northern border is secured against the influx of drugs such as fentanyl and illegal immigration.

Acknowledging Trump's determination, Trudeau highlighted the importance of conveying the adverse effects such tariffs would have on American businesses and industries. "One of the things that is really important to understand is that when Donald Trump makes statements like that, he plans on carrying them out," Trudeau remarked. However, he maintained that cooperative solutions could create lucrative opportunities and robust job growth on both sides of the border.

Statistics reveal that as of November 6, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection had seized 19.5 kilograms of fentanyl at its northern border in 2023, a significant increase from the one kilogram seized the previous year. Immigration Minister Marc Miller highlighted that the yearly flow of migrants into the U.S. from Canada is comparably minor, equivalent to "a significant weekend at the Mexico border."

Data from border protection agencies showed nearly 200,000 northern border encounters between October 2023 and September, dwarfed by the over 2.1 million encounters at the southern border during the same period.

In response to Trump's tariff threat, U.S. President Joe Biden urged reconsideration, describing it as counterproductive. During a visit to a Nantucket fire hall, Biden stated, "I hope he rethinks it. I think it's a counterproductive thing to do." He emphasized the importance of maintaining harmonious relationships with neighboring countries Canada and Mexico, noting that "the last thing we need to do is begin to screw up those relationships."