
A thrill records of “Today with George Stephanopoulos” broadcasting on Sunday, February 2, 2025 on ABC Information is listed below. This duplicate might not remain in its last kind, might be upgraded and might have small transcription mistakes. For previous program records, see the “Today” records archive.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Allow’s generate the Canadian ambassador to the USA, Kirsten Hillman.
Madam Ambassador, thanks for joining us today.
Your response to the Trump steps?
KIRSTEN HILLMAN, CANADIAN AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED STATE: Well, I indicate, we’re– we’re let down, certainly. This is an interfering with and exceptionally effective trading partnership. A trading partnership that was simply restored by Head of state Trump in his last term when we renegotiated the NAFTA and brought our profession in between our 2 nations to 99 percent tariff-free. So, we’re actually let down and we’re confident that they do not enter result on Tuesday. We prepare to remain to speak to the Trump management concerning that. And particularly concerning all the job that we’re finishing with them, and on our very own relative to the boundary and the problems that the head of state has actually claimed go to the core of this– this action.
STEPHANOPOULOS: What could occur in between currently and Tuesday that would certainly stop the tolls from being executed?
HILLMAN: Well, I indicate, I believe that– that is actually something that remains in the head of state’s hands. We have actually been fulfilling continuously with his boundary authorities. We have actually spent a billion bucks in advancing several of our tools on the boundary, making certain that we have the boots on the ground, collaborating with the united state authorities solution on joint training, joint workouts, mosting likely to China with them to take care of the forerunner trouble. So, we are– we are leaning in tough on this, and we really feel that we have actually made extraordinary development. You recognize, prohibited crossings in between Canada and the USA, as you claimed in your opener, are much less than 1 percent of the crossings right into the USA. Yet also at that, they’re down 89 percent in current months. So,–
STEPHANOPOULOS: Yet–
HILLMAN: Please, sorry, go on.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Sorry.
Based upon– based upon the discussions you all have had thus far, do you have a clear concept of what the USA is seeking to stop the application of the tolls?
HILLMAN: Well, the emphasis has actually gotten on the boundary, fentanyl and prohibited movement. And as I state, we– we have actually bought a great deal of tools. We have actually bought extra facilities. And we have actually assembled a strategy that we are carrying out with the boundary czar, Tom Homan. We consulted with him on Friday. We went through it. We have joint workouts. We have joint training. And we’re choosing authorities from the White Residence, our authorities firm, to China in the coming days to– to attempt and come to grips with the forerunner concern. So, it’s tough to recognize what extra we can do, yet we’re certainly open up to any kind of various other pointers that come our method.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So, you’ve had these lower-level discussions, yet absolutely nothing in between the head of state and the head of state?
HILLMAN: So the head of state and the head of state have actually reviewed this a couple of times, not in current days, yet they have actually reviewed it. And we have actually reviewed it with elderly participants of the White Residence too, and we have actually outlined our strategy.
And my understanding is that the strategy and several of the real end results outcomes of what we have actually done have actually existed to the head of state.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Head of state Trump appears to be relying on the possibility that Canada is mosting likely to pull back.
HILLMAN: Yeah. I– you recognize, look, I believe the Canadian individuals are mosting likely to anticipate that our federal government perseveres and defends itself.
I do not believe we’re not in thinking about intensifying. Yet I believe that there will certainly be an extremely solid need on our federal government to see to it that we– we defend– for the offer that we have actually struck with the– with the USA, which as I state goes to a 99 percent toll open market in between our 2 nations.
STEPHANOPOULOS: So if these settlements do not flourish prior to Tuesday, just what is mosting likely to occur on Tuesday?
HILLMAN: So, on our side, we will certainly be carrying out 25 percent tolls on united state items. We will certainly rise to a hundred billion united state bucks well worth of items. We will certainly begin with around 30 billion and after that we will certainly notify of– of the rest of the items most likely for around 20, 21 days and after that carry out those if demand be, if we have not discovered an escape of this– this circumstance.
STEPHANOPOULOS: And what will be the message to– to Canadians? Would certainly it be to quit utilizing items from the USA, a boycott?
HILLMAN: Well, I’ll be truthful. I– we as a federal government aren’t always requiring to send out that message. Canadians misunderstand, I believe let down.
We see ourselves as your– your next-door neighbor, your closest close friend, your ally, you recognize, a nation whose– whose people have actually combated and passed away with you all over the world, in protection of worths that we share that concern the help of the Los Angeles discharges most just recently.
And I believe are actually astonished by this action. So I do not believe anyone will certainly require to inform Canadians what to do I believe that they will certainly make their choices by themselves.
STEPHANOPOULOS: You state perplexed. Do Canadians really feel betrayed?
HILLMAN: I believe– I believe they’re– I believe they’re perplexed. I do not believe they comprehend where this is originating from. I believe they recognize the level to which we have striven to deal with the head of state’s worries therefore they simply do not comprehend where this is originating from, and I– and most likely there’s a little of pain, right?
We have 400,000 to 500,000 individuals that return and forth in between our 2 nations daily– organizations, visitors, trainees, employees– and there’s a feeling of collaboration, of household, of being each various other’s ideal– as I state ideal client, friend.
So I believe that this is something that we actually do not– the Canadians do not comprehend.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Do you believe– do you comprehend what’s taking place below? Do you believe Head of state Trump values the partnership and the partnership with Canada?
HILLMAN: Well, I indicate I– I really hope so, I really hope so. And I believe that in some aspects, he most absolutely does.
I believe that we’re mosting likely to need to see where this takes us, and I believe that we are– we aspire to aid the head of state attain his objectives. You recognize, he has an interest in power prominence for the USA. A 3rd of what we offer to the USA are power items and they’re economical and they’re trusted and generally, if you really did not obtain them from us, you ‘d most likely need to obtain them from Venezuela or various other non-allied nations.
So we’re– we aspire to, you recognize, improve that. We give crucial minerals that you do not have below in the USA that are important for protection modern technology and high modern technology. We are eager to remain to offer those right into the USA and to– to function to also do even more.
Yet it’s tough to keep that feeling of typical function and moving on if we enter this type of a vibrant on tolls. So our–
STEPHANOPOULOS: Is that–
HILLMAN: Please?
STEPHANOPOULOS: Excuse me. Is that power participation on the table, could it include that too?
HILLMAN: Well, I indicate, for us it is. I– we would certainly such as absolutely nothing greater than to speak about just how we can improve the toughness that we currently carry both, you recognize, oil and gas, yet nuclear and hydro. We give the USA with mostly all of the hydro and concerning a 3rd of the oil that you import and utilize. So– or– 80 percent of the oil that you import and utilize yet– and mostly all of the electrical power.
So allow’s do even more, right? This is our– our sight. A 3rd of your uranium originates from Canada. What you do not obtain from Canada, several of it you obtain from Russia. Why– why– why not obtain it all from Canada?
You recognize, these are our viewpoints on this. We want to increase down on every little thing that we are doing as opposed to entering into a dynamic that takes us down a roadway of– of tearing apart several of these exceptional facets of our partnership.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Lastly, what should American customers anticipate moving forward and what’s your message to American customers?
HILLMAN: Well, I indicate, once again, our message is, this is not something that Canada intends to do. This is not a course that we want dropping. We are in fact thinking about being and remaining to be your ideal client. We purchase extra from you than any kind of various other nation on earth, and we enjoy our American items. So, we sustain 8 million work in the USA with the exports that you send out to us. Allow’s maintain that going, and allow’s improve that. Allow’s not– allow’s not lessen it.
STEPHANOPOULOS: Ambassador Hillman, many thanks for your time today.
HILLMAN: Many Thanks for having me.