Former foreign affairs minister warns Canada could be next in tariff dispute over Greenland

Former foreign affairs minister Peter MacKay weighs economic opportunities in Qatar against human rights concerns and rising pressure from the U.S.

Canada’s former foreign affairs minister says it is possible the country could face tariffs from the United States following U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement Saturday that he would impose tariffs on European countries that oppose U.S. control of Greenland.

“There’s no question that the possibility exists,” Peter MacKay, former minister of foreign affairs, told CTV News Channel on Saturday.

• READ MORE: Trump says he will tariff imports from 8 European countries for opposing U.S. control of Greenland

“While the president very often uses rhetoric and inflammatory language to leverage certain decisions that he is out to achieve or certain goals, there’s no question that sometimes that bluff turns into reality, as we’ve seen with our own country’s tariffs on steel, aluminum, lumber.”

Trump wrote on Truth Social on Saturday that Denmark, Norway, Sweden, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands and Finland will face a 10 per cent tariff on exports to the U.S. starting Feb. 1 for opposing U.S. control of Greenland. He also wrote the tariff would increase to 25 per cent starting June 1.

• READ MORE: Canada plans to open consulates in Greenland and Alaska to strengthen Arctic presence

“This Tariff will be due and payable until such time as a Deal is reached for the Complete and Total purchase of Greenland,” Trump wrote. “The United States has been trying to do this transaction for over 150 years.”

“The United States of America is immediately open to negotiation with Denmark and/or any of these Countries that have put so much at risk, despite all that we have done for them, including maximum protection, over so many decades.”

Prime Minister Mark Carney said on Jan. 16 that he found alignment between his views and those of Chinese President Xi Jinping on Greenland’s sovereignty following their meeting.

• READ MORE: ‘We are very much one people’: Dozens rally in Iqaluit to protest against Trump’s threats to control island

A week earlier, Carney said the future of Greenland, which is part of the Kingdom of Denmark, will be decided “solely by the people” of Denmark following his meeting with Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen.

With Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Governor General Mary Simon set to visit Greenland in February to discuss opening a new Canadian consulate, MacKay said it is “unthinkable” that Trump would speak about taking control of Greenland and potentially using military force.

• READ MORE: White House says military ‘always an option’ in Greenland as European leaders reject U.S. takeover

“The United States can negotiate perhaps a bigger military presence in Greenland without going down this road of talking about taking over, purchase or military invasion,” MacKay said.

Trump’s threats on Greenland come a year after he suggested it would be a great idea if Canada were to become the 51st state.

• READ MORE: There is ‘much alignment’ between Canada, China on Greenland sovereignty: Carney
• READ MORE: Trump continues to threaten Greenland takeover as Carney meets with Danish PM