Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau has warned Donald Trump that his decision to stop a US manufacturing company from sending respirators to Canada could prompt retaliatory measures.
The Trump administration ordered 3M, a Minnesota-based manufacturer of protective healthcare equipment, to stop exporting protective masks to Canada and Latin America on Thursday.
Mr Trudeau said medical equipment “goes both ways across the border,” and noted that thousands of nurses travel from Canada to work in Detroit every day.
“These are things that Americans rely on and it would be a mistake to create blockages or reduce the amount of back and forth trade of essential goods and services, including medical goods, across our border,” he said.
Mr Trump said Wednesday that he used the Defence Production Act, a Korean War-era law, to compel 3M to sell its equipment to the US government.
Federal judge refuses to release pro-Trump clerk convicted in 2020 election scheme
Marjorie Taylor Greene says she will vote ‘NO’ on proposed NDAA, blasts foreign aid spending
Future of Hamas hazy after devastating war and unstable peace
Man Behind App That Helps Illegals Evade ICE Now Suing Bondi, Noem, Homan After Apple Took it Down
Somalians Accused of Another Mass Medicaid Fraud Operation in Maine: Whistleblower
FBI hunts Michigan woman accused of stealing nearly $30M while posing as aircraft heiress
New dark money network could exploit campaign finance loophole banning federal contractors from spending on politics
Jasmine Crockett uses Trump’s ‘Low IQ’ insults to launch her Texas Senate campaign in debut ad
Trump cabinet members do pull-ups at airport to launch $1B family travel program nationwide
Trump threatens 5% tariff on Mexico over water treaty violations affecting Texas farmers
Thune eyes possibility of ‘serious’ Obamacare talks once Democratic bill fails
Watch: Is This Is a Touchdown? ‘Clear As Mud’ Rules Trigger NFL Controversy
Top GOP senator says Crockett announcement exposes how ‘radical’ Dems are nationwide
Indiana redistricting bill clears committee in victory for Trump, heading to full Senate vote
Family sues Royal Caribbean after man allegedly served 33 drinks dies aboard cruise ship
“We hit 3M hard today after seeing what they were doing with their Masks. ‘P Act’ all the way,” Mr Trump wrote on Twitter. “Big surprise to many in government as to what they were doing — will have a big price to pay!” he added.
Hospitals across the world are facing severe shortages of protective equipment, which puts medical staff at greater risk as they treat coronavirus patients. In the US, many doctors and nurses are re-using their masks every day.
3M said it had been asked by the White House to limit exports of protective equipment manufactured in the US to Canada and Latin America, which the company opposed on “humanitarian grounds.”
The company said in a statement that there were “significant humanitarian implications of ceasing respirator supplies to healthcare workers in Canada and Latin America, where we are a critical supplier of respirators. In addition, ceasing all export of respirators produced in the United States would likely cause other countries to retaliate and do the same, as some have already done.”
Story cited here.
