U.S.-based company 3M said Friday that it has been asked by the Trump administration not to supply N95 respirators to Canada amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.
U.S. President Donald Trump has ordered the Minnesota-based company to produce and sell as many medical-grade masks as the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) says it needs. He invoked the Defence Production Act in order to speed up the distribution of masks.
“The administration also requested that 3M cease exporting respirators that we currently manufacture in the United States to the Canadian and Latin American markets,” a statement from the company read.
The company said the move raised “humanitarian” concerns.
“There are, however, significant humanitarian implications of ceasing respirator supplies to health-care workers in Canada and Latin America, where we are a critical supplier of respirators,” the statement added.
Kennedy cousin tied to Martha Moxley case breaks silence 50 years later as murder remains unsolved
Former TV anchor heads to same prison as Ghislaine Maxwell after $63M COVID fraud conviction
X’s new location feature exposes apparent fraudster accounts posing as Americans, Gaza journalists
‘Meta Never Told Parents…’: Court Docs Claim Meta Failed to Prevent Abuse of Minors
Trump’s wild Mamdani flip — the insults that came before the love fest
Climate Change Concern Plummets In Big Cities, Poll Finds
Vindman’s call to release Trump–MBS transcript reopens old questions in US–Saudi relationship
Heavily redacted voting records for school superintendent nabbed by ICE spark outrage
Hundreds of Christians Abducted in Largest Mass Kidnapping in Nigerian History Amid Country’s Anti-Christian Slaughter
Trans Cult Leader’s Attorney Scolds DOJ for Misgendering Him
Trump caps week of surprises — signing release of Epstein files, embracing unlikely allies at White House
Former Missouri substitute teacher gets 10 years for trading students money, drugs for sex
Trump, Kirk shootings expose online hate breeding lone-wolf assassins, experts warn
Trump administration expands efforts to stop Christian violence in Nigeria with aid threat
Watch Fox News’ Martha MacCallum Grill Dem Who Told Military to Defy Trump
The statement also warned that limiting supply to other countries could lead to them “retaliating” with similar measures.
“If that were to occur, the net number of respirators being made available to the United States would actually decrease. That is the opposite of what we and the administration, on behalf of the American people, both seek,” the company said.
On Friday, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau responded to the news, saying the government is in close contact with U.S. officials on the issue.
“We are discussing very closely with the United States the importance of keeping the flow of essential goods and services across our border to help both countries,” Trudeau said. “I am confident that the close and deep relationship between Canada and the U.S. will hold strong and we will not have to see interruptions in supply chain in either directions.”
Kennedy cousin tied to Martha Moxley case breaks silence 50 years later as murder remains unsolved
Former TV anchor heads to same prison as Ghislaine Maxwell after $63M COVID fraud conviction
X’s new location feature exposes apparent fraudster accounts posing as Americans, Gaza journalists
‘Meta Never Told Parents…’: Court Docs Claim Meta Failed to Prevent Abuse of Minors
Trump’s wild Mamdani flip — the insults that came before the love fest
Climate Change Concern Plummets In Big Cities, Poll Finds
Vindman’s call to release Trump–MBS transcript reopens old questions in US–Saudi relationship
Heavily redacted voting records for school superintendent nabbed by ICE spark outrage
Hundreds of Christians Abducted in Largest Mass Kidnapping in Nigerian History Amid Country’s Anti-Christian Slaughter
Trans Cult Leader’s Attorney Scolds DOJ for Misgendering Him
Trump caps week of surprises — signing release of Epstein files, embracing unlikely allies at White House
Former Missouri substitute teacher gets 10 years for trading students money, drugs for sex
Trump, Kirk shootings expose online hate breeding lone-wolf assassins, experts warn
Trump administration expands efforts to stop Christian violence in Nigeria with aid threat
Watch Fox News’ Martha MacCallum Grill Dem Who Told Military to Defy Trump
Trudeau said he hopes to avoid a scenario where Canada is forced to retaliate against U.S. measures.
“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 added.
Demand for personal protective equipment — gloves, gowns, face shields and the all-important N95 masks — has been soaring around the world as overtaxed doctors, nurses and hospitals struggle to manage the spike in coronavirus cases while protecting themselves from infection.
On Thursday, 3M was singled out for criticism by Trump.
“We hit 3M hard today after seeing what they were doing with their Masks,” Trump tweeted. “‘P Act’ all the way. Big surprise to many in government as to what they were doing – will have a big price to pay!”
We hit 3M hard today after seeing what they were doing with their Masks. “P Act” all the way. Big surprise to many in government as to what they were doing – will have a big price to pay!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 3, 2020
3M CEO Mike Roman said earlier this week that the company is working closely with FEMA and is on track to double global production of N95 masks to two billion a year in 12 months.
