John Kennedy Urges Both Trump And Canada's Carney To Back Down From Tariff Battle

2 days ago

During remarks on the Senate floor Wednesday, Sen. John Kennedy (R-LA) called on both Canada Prime Minister Mark Carney and President Trump to lift all tariffs 'on both sides.'

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00:00Now, on a separate subject, I want to talk about Canada.

00:09And by the way, by the way, Mr. President, my colleague here today, Nick Ayers, is with

00:14me.

00:15Nick is one of my colleagues in my Senate office, and I thank him for being here today.

00:20I want to talk a moment about Canada.

00:25I want to make it clear, I love Canada.

00:29I've visited Canada several times, many times.

00:33It is breathtakingly beautiful.

00:37And the people of Canada are just terrific.

00:44They're hardworking, they're very pleasant, they're fun-loving, once you get to know them.

00:54The United States of America and Canada have been friends and allies for decades.

01:02We're neighbors.

01:05We share a 5,525-mile border.

01:13I'm proud of that.

01:15We share history.

01:18We share values.

01:23We maintain longstanding mutual security commitments.

01:28We're both members of NATO.

01:32Canada and America are members of the binational North American Aerospace Defense Command.

01:39You probably know that as NORAD.

01:43It's more than just security commitments, though.

01:48It's more than just business.

01:49We're friends, and I'm proud of that.

01:52I remember on 9-11, who will ever be able to forget 9-11, U.S. airspace was shut down.

02:07The people of Canada stepped right up to the plate.

02:09They immediately implemented Operation Yellow Ribbon.

02:16They opened their airports, the Canadians opened their homes, the Canadians opened their

02:21hearts to 33,000 Americans who were stranded.

02:27There's a little town in Newfoundland called Gander.

02:31I remember this, too.

02:33Gander has 10,000 people, but they welcomed thousands of American passengers.

02:42They fed them.

02:45They sheltered them.

02:47They comforted our American citizens.

02:55They gave them a little bit of peace at a scary time for America and the world.

03:01There was no hesitation by the people of Canada.

03:05It was only humanity.

03:07I'll never forget that.

03:10I remember after Hurricane Katrina, which hit my state, it destroyed southeast Louisiana,

03:17New Orleans, yes, but many other parts of my state as well, and Mississippi.

03:25Canada was the very first country, and the people of Canada were the very first people

03:33to send disaster relief.

03:36Their program was called Operation Unison.

03:42Their military ships sailed south to help us in Louisiana.

03:48They sent 1,000 people and a lot of supplies.

03:55And you know what?

03:56The good people of Canada did the same thing when we had the horrible fires in California.

04:06Here's my point.

04:08I don't want to be at war with Canada.

04:10I don't want to have a trade war with Canada.

04:14I want us to continue to be friends.

04:18I made this suggestion to the new Prime Minister of Canada the other day, Prime Minister Carney.

04:24I'm going to make it again.

04:27And I hope this time he'll take it more seriously.

04:33Remember, if you want to be taken seriously, you have to act seriously.

04:38If you want respect, you have to act respectfully.

04:45Prime Minister Carney, you say that President Trump is not a fair traitor.

04:51And I understand your point of view.

04:53I don't agree with you, but I understand your point of view.

04:55You've got to stand up for your people.

04:59If Prime Minister Carney, if you believe in free trade, then here's what you do.

05:03Make this offer today.

05:06Offer to go to zero tariffs in Canada on American goods.

05:13No tariffs.

05:14None.

05:15Zero.

05:16Zilch.

05:17Nada.

05:19And challenge America to remove all of our tariffs on Canada.

05:24So the people of Canada can sell their goods to Americans without a tariff, and the people

05:31of America can sell their goods to our friends in Canada without a tariff.

05:37Zero tariffs.

05:40Let Canadian businesses and American businesses compete.

05:46Competition makes all of us better.

05:49It's one of the shared values that we have with our friends in Canada.

05:55Let American businesses and Canadian businesses go at it in a friendly, competitive way, and

06:03may the best price and the best product win.

06:09That's fair trade.

06:12That's free trade.

06:14And if Prime Minister Carney, if he wants fair trade and free trade, he will make that

06:21offer.

06:23And I don't speak for President Trump, but I'll certainly encourage President Trump to

06:29accept that offer, and I think he will.

06:33There's a way to stop this trade war.

06:36It's just to remove the tariffs on both sides.

06:41Remember what Mama Gump said, stupid is as stupid does.

06:45Let's don't be stupid.

06:48Let's don't have a trade war.

06:50Let's continue to be friends.

06:53Let's get rid of these tariffs.

06:57Mr. President, I suggest the absence of a quorum.

John Kennedy Urges Both Trump And Canada's Carney To Back Down From Tariff Battle

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