The Blubber

On Monday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced that U.S. President Donald Trump has agreed to delay imposing tariffs on Canada for at least 30 days, following a series of commitments made by Canada to enhance border security.

Canadians can now breathe a sigh of relief—at least for the time being.

In order to persuade Trump to hold off on the tariffs, Trudeau assured him that Canada is moving forward with a $1.3-billion border security initiative. This plan includes bolstering the 49th parallel with new helicopters, technology, and personnel, as well as increasing coordination with U.S. officials to target the president’s main concerns: illegal drugs and migrants.

Trudeau stated that a total of 10,000 frontline personnel will be stationed along the border as part of a broader effort to enhance safety.

The prime minister also made several additional commitments to Trump, such as the appointment of a new fentanyl "czar." He also promised to classify Mexican cartels—major sources of fentanyl and other drugs in both Canada and the U.S.—as terrorist organizations under Canadian law.

Trudeau revealed that Canada is launching a "Canada-U.S. Joint Strike Force" focused on tackling organized crime and money laundering.

“The proposed tariffs will be paused for at least 30 days while we work together,” Trudeau said in a post after his 45-minute call with Trump.

In his own post, Trump expressed that he was "very pleased" with Canada’s plan to secure the northern border but characterized the agreement as an "initial outcome."

“The tariffs announced on Saturday will be paused for a 30-day period to determine whether a final economic deal with Canada can be reached,” he added.

During a press briefing following the first of two calls with Trudeau on Monday, Trump claimed that Canada is "very tough" and that "we’re not treated well by Canada, and we have to be treated well."

He also alleged that Canada “doesn’t take our agricultural products, for the most part,” which is an inaccurate statement, given that the U.S. is Canada's largest agricultural trading partner, accounting for roughly 57% of Canadian food imports, according to data from Trump’s own administration.

Trump has repeatedly said he would like Canada to join the United States as the 51st state, a sentiment he reiterated on Monday, claiming he would "love to see" Canada join the union. However, he seemed to acknowledge that it would be a "long shot," adding that some people "don’t have a threshold for pain."