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 court blocks Newsom’s bid to shackle ICE in Trump immigration win
Dem senator likens ICE operations in American streets to oppressive British regime during Revolutionary War
Idaho murders: New book on Kohberger reveals previously unseen evidence, claims sheath could be inadmissible
Trump Rips SCOTUS a New One: Dems Don’t Need to Add Justices Because the Court Is ‘Already Packed’ for Them
Marine veteran allegedly gunned down by husband in attack outside home, police say
Biden Loves to Say His WH Bid Was Sparked by Charlottesville Rally, Which DOJ Says the SPLC Helped Plan
Trump claims Iran ‘starving for cash,’ ‘collapsing financially’ after extending ceasefire
EXCLUSIVE: Planned Parenthood set for massive taxpayer windfall if Senate fails to act
China decries Japanese prime minister for World War II shrine support
Anthropic’s moral compass architect suggested AI overcorrection could address historical injustices
Supreme Court liberals side with Clarence Thomas on Taliban suicide bomber lawsuit, 3 others dissent
ActBlue employees pleaded the Fifth 146 times in depositions. Here’s what they didn’t want to answer
Myrtle Beach man with lengthy arrest record charged with stabbing two people in popular beach destination
Sheriff leading Nancy Guthrie probe admits quitting past police job to dodge discipline
Iran Opens Fire on Three Ships in Strait of Hormuz, Seizes Two of Them
“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.
