Canada is not our enemy, Kaine says

U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine, Virginia’s junior Democratic senator, feels strongly that Canada doesn’t pose a national security threat to the United States — a contrast to President Donald Trump, who has threatened the Great White North with tariffs as retaliation for what he says are insufficient efforts at keeping drugs from coming across its border.

“There’s no reason to treat an ally and neighbor and friend like they’re an enemy,” Kaine said Wednesday.

In a Feb. 1 executive order, Trump announced plans to impose a 25% tariff on goods coming into the United States from Mexico and Canada. To enact the trade war, he’s citing the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, stating that an “influx of illicit opioids and other drugs” from the countries have created a national emergency. The tariff was supposed to go into effect on March 4, but Trump later paused the action until April 2.

Kaine, along with several co-sponsors, filed legislation March 11 to terminate the emergency Trump cited in his Feb. 1 order, which would eliminate the tariffs on Canadian imports. The legislation requires a Senate vote on the proposal, which Kaine is optimistic could happen by Tuesday, April 1.

“Everybody’s going to have to declare whether they support these family-hurting and economy-wrecking tariffs,” Kaine said.

Joining Kaine as co-sponsors are the commonwealth’s senior Democratic senator, U.S. Sen. Mark Warner, along with U.S. Sens Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.; Chris Van Hollen, D-Md.; Angus S. King Jr., D-Maine; Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I.; Christopher Coons, D-Del.; and Rand Paul, R-Ky.

Kaine agreed that the United States has a crisis with illegal fentanyl, but pointed out that 96% of that drug trafficking comes from Mexico, with the remaining 3% stemming from Asia and Europe and only about 0.02% coming from Canada.

The Trump administration’s true motive for enacting tariffs with the U.S.’s northern neighbor, Kaine alleged, is money.

“They will use the tariff revenue to pay for the big tax cuts that they’re about to unveil,” he said. “But who gets hurt is everyday Virginians. The prices of groceries go up. The prices of building supplies go up.”

Virginia’s economy will also pay a price, according to Kaine, when Canada issues retaliatory tariffs. In 2024, Canada was Virginia’s largest export market, accounting for 15% of exports. “There’s never been a one-sided trade war in the history of the world,” Kaine warned.

On March 12, a Trump-issued 25% tariff on imports of steel and aluminum from all countries into the United States took effect. On Wednesday, Trump announced a 25% tariff on all imports vehicles and auto parts that will go into effect on April 2.

After holding several events across the commonwealth from Damascus to Chesapeake last week, Kaine is more sure than ever that Trump’s trade war with Canada is unpopular with Virginians. “I heard again and again and again from people who are very worried about this tariff situation,” he said.

Kaine noted in particular a baker in Shenandoah who pointed out that her pie pans for apple pies come from Canada. The pans now cost more, and she has to pass that cost onto customers. And that, Kaine said, may lead to her making fewer pie sales.

“It has a huge impact, and already you can see consumer confidence down, [the] stock market unstable, [and] some predictions by some that the economy is about to contract,” he warned.