After meeting with Canada’s premiers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in Ottawa, Yukon Premier Ranj Pillai has a clear understanding of how premiers across the country will work together to address U.S. president-elect Donald Trump’s tariff threats.
“Part of the goal here was to wake up tomorrow and understand what the role was as a premier, how we interact, how our levels of government will work together to make sure that we align,” Pillai said on Jan. 15.
Ahead of the first ministers’ meeting between premiers and Trudeau in the nation’s capital, Pillai told reporters that he was seeking clarification on the operational plans, on how to engage with the United States, and on the roles and responsibilities of premiers and his federal counterparts.
Speaking to reporters before the meeting, he said premiers won't be negotiating on the floor.
“When you talk about Team Canada, everybody can score goals in different ways,” Pillai said during a closing press conference after the meeting.
“I think there was good strategy laid out, and I feel very good.”
The Alberta government was the only provincial or territorial jurisdiction that didn't sign off on a joint statement between the Government of Canada and the Council of the Federation, which represents the premiers of the 13 provinces and territories.
Alberta United Conservative Party Premier Danielle Smith, who attended the meeting remotely, posted her reaction to the meeting on social media.
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, Smith indicated she couldn’t support the plan. She explained why: "Federal government officials continue to publicly and privately float the idea of cutting off energy supply to the U.S. and imposing export tariffs on Alberta energy and other products to the United States. Until these threats cease, Alberta will not be able to fully support the federal government’s plan in dealing with the threatened tariffs.”
Smith met with Trump at Mar-a-Lago over the weekend.
Pillai, on the other hand, met with Donald Trump Jr., the president-elect's son, late last year and had a call with Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy in late November 2024.
“We know the tariffs are going to hurt both countries. It's very clear it's going to have a negative impact. That was exactly the message that I conveyed to Donald Trump Jr. when I met with him in North Carolina in December, that this was not good for either one of our countries, and that there's an opportunity for us to prosper working together as independent sovereign nations,” Pillai said.
“We know we've always been good neighbours. We've played by the rules as Canadians and, but now it's time to ensure that we prepare ourselves for next week.”
Pillai indicated premiers won’t yet be laying out a list of items as potential retaliatory measures against Trump’s tariff threat. Pillai’s office previously told the News it hasn't ruled out any retaliatory measures.
Trump is set to be sworn in on Jan. 20. He has threatened to impose 25-per-cent tariffs on products going from Canada to the U.S. although he hasn’t specifically laid out what will be taxed.
Trudeau said there was “great” discussion around the table at the meeting with premiers on Jan. 15.
“Nothing can be off the table if the U.S. continues to choose to move forward with these punishing tariffs,” Trudeau said.
“We can't know definitively what our response will be, or can't announce what our response will be, until we know definitively what the Americans are going to decide to do.”
Ontario Conservative Premier Doug Ford, who chairs the group of premiers, sported a new patriotic hat at the meeting. “Canada is not for sale,” read the message on his navy-blue ball cap.
Ford suggested finding other ways to “hit back” beyond the tariffs.
“Remember one thing: United we stand, divided we fall,” Ford said during the closing news conference.
“We need to be united.”
On Jan. 6, Trudeau announced he will be resigning as Liberal Party of Canada leader and in turn prime minister, after a new federal Liberal leader has been decided. Meanwhile, Parliament has been prorogued and Trump’s rhetoric about Canada becoming the 51st state has been turned up in recent weeks.
Back in the Yukon, the leader of the Official Opposition repeated his ongoing calls for a territorial election, this time, in the face of an escalating U.S. trade situation.
A Yukon Party press release published Jan. 15 takes issue with Pillai’s plans to travel as part of a joint mission with other premiers to Washington, D.C., to meet with the new U.S. administration, Congress and business leaders.
The release also criticizes Pillai’s office for entertaining the idea of imposing tariffs on products coming from the U.S. to Canada in retaliation to Trump’s tariff threats.
“Pillai has absolutely no democratic mandate, let alone a mandate to be contemplating or negotiating retaliatory measures that could hurt Yukoners or the Yukon economy,” Yukon Party Leader Currie Dixon said in the release.
“In this time of unprecedented turmoil in Ottawa and the country, Yukon needs the strongest possible negotiating position, which includes clear support for the premier from Yukoners. It is time for an immediate election so Yukoners can provide clear direction before the premier sits at these tables.”
Dixon said the situation in the Yukon is “clearly breaking the long-standing Westminster parliamentary tradition of unelected premiers going to the electorate within a reasonable amount of time.”
Pillai was first elected in 2016 and re-elected in 2021 as the MLA for Porter Creek South. He was appointed the Yukon’s premier in January 2023 following an uncontested territorial Liberal leadership race. That was after former premier Sandy Silver announced his resignation as party leader and premier once a new Yukon Liberal Party leader was found to replace him.
A fixed election date was introduced following changes to the Yukon Elections Act in 2020. The next territorial general election must be held by Nov. 3, 2025, although an election can be called prior to that date under the minority Liberal government. The Yukon Liberals are being kept in power through a confidence and supply deal with the Yukon NDP.
The premiers’ joint mission south of the U.S. border is set for Feb. 12.
Contact Dana Hatherly at dana.hatherly@yukon-news.com
