Trudeau warns of potential ‘massive disruption’ in auto sector as NAFTA talks resume

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is warning of massive disruption and job losses if Donald Trump follows through on his threat of auto tariffs, as NAFTA talks resume in Washington today.

Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland has returned to the U.S. capital to continue negotiations with her counterpart U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer. She is expected to speak with reporters at 11 a.m. ET, and CBCNews.ca will carry it live.

Speaking to a Winnipeg radio station ahead of those talks, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau repeated that Canada would only sign on to a deal that is in the country’s best interests.

Asked about U.S. President Donald Trump’s vow to slap tariffs on Canadian auto imports if no NAFTA deal is reached, Trudeau insisted he won’t bow to the threats.

“I think it’s something that we obviously have to be aware (of), that the president is contemplating, but we don’t negotiate differently because of pressure tactics like that,” he told 680 CJOB radio.

“We remain focused on what’s in the interests of Canadians and what’s in the interests of our workers and our country’s economy.”

Trudeau warned that Trump’s threatened “punitive tariffs” would be devastating not just to the Canadian auto industry, but also to the American sector.

“It would cause a massive disruption, and lots of layoffs in the United States,” he said.