With Canada now fighting a tariff war on two fronts, Manitoba's Premier says his government is responding in several ways, with details to be outlined in the 2025 budget being released Thursday.
Not only is America's global steel and aluminum tariffs impacting the province, explained Wab Kinew, but so is China's 100 per cent tariffs on Canadian agriculture products including canola, peas and pork.
"Good luck keeping up with all the changes in the Donald Trump administration. They're going back and forth," said Kinew. "We do have a lot of companies in the steel sector here in Manitoba, in different parts of the province, but a huge mill in Selkirk in particular."
Manitoba's agriculture industry is also going to take a hit with the recent Chinese tariffs. "Ag is the backbone of our economy here in the province. So, we're definitely responding on a number of ways," noted Kinew.
Considering all this, the Premier explained how the province approached putting together this latest budget.
"You'll see here's sort of the main budget, you know, if everything was going well, if you will. And then we have a second budget that we're bringing forward basically just saying, here's what we'll do if these tariffs remain in place over a longer timeframe, say to the end of the year."
That includes, according to Kinew, ways the province will be supporting the ag industry, manufacturers, business and workers.
"Everyone is going to need help getting through here," he said. "There's stuff that we do internally to help businesses and workers like the payroll tax deferrals so that businesses can keep paying people's paychecks and keep people working. And then we have a message of the province pushing back, if you will, like taking the American liquor off of Liquor Mart shelves. That one took about $80 million out of the American economy this year."
Overall, Premier says he doesn't believe the trade wars forced his government to take anything off the table in this newest budget.
"One of the real big priorities for us in supporting the economy is, let's keep building those things that are going to advance economic growth," he explained. "So, if we need highways to get some of the manufactured and ag goods to market, now is the time to build them to help shore up the economy. We've got other projects, like the the the Port of Churchill in the north, that helps us get to tide water. Now is the time to build that. Other initiatives that we've been thinking about (include) building up the Manitoba Hydro infrastructure to connect more manufacturers to the grid. Now is the time for those things."
Other resounding themes in the upcoming budget, noted the Premier, is healthcare and education.
Listen below for Candace Derksen's full interview with the Premier.