The MLA for Port Moody–Burquitlam is part of a new provincial cabinet committee charged with protecting British Columbia’s economy from tariffs being threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Rick Glumac, B.C.’s Minister of State for Trade, is one 10 cabinet ministers named to the committee by Premier David Eby on Wednesday, Jan. 29. He recently travelled to Idaho to discuss trade with various state officials and vowed retaliation if tariffs are imposed.
Just got back from Idaho. Many in this Republican state are concerned about tariffs. Met with Governor, Lieutenant Governor, the local Chamber, staff from a US Senator's office and others. We discussed our great trade relationship, but if tariffs are imposed we will retaliate. pic.twitter.com/3R28NZNNz5
— Rick Glumac (@RickGlumacBC) January 26, 2025
In a news release, Eby said the tariff threat is “a direct attack on B.C.’s families” and it’s “not going away anytime soon.”
According to the release, the new committee, will work to ensure the province’s response to any tariffs is “fast, tough and fully focused on protecting British Columbians." It is being chaired by the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs, Ravi Kahlon.
“We didn’t ask for this fight, but B.C. will not be bullied,” said Kahlon in the release. “My colleagues and I work shoulder to shoulder with workers, business and community leaders to meet this moment.”
Trump has vowed to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Feb. 1 on all goods imported by the United States from Canada and Mexico in an effort to coax the neighbouring countries to improve their border security measures.
Canada’s federal government has vowed to meet the threat with retaliatory tariffs of its own, a strategy supported by a majority of the country’s business leaders, according to a recent survey conducted by polling firm KPMG.
Earlier Wednesday, Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem said the impact of such broad tariffs on Canada’s economy is still uncertain, even if there are retaliatory measures.
“It will still be difficult to be precise about the economic impacts because we have little experience with tariffs of this magnitude being proposed.”
Glumac has been the MLA for Port Moody–Burquitlam since 2017. He served as the president of the Pacific Northwest Economic Region in 2023-24.
With files from Canadian Press
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