Canada’s premiers are urging Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step up border security and defense spending to assuage US President-elect Donald Trump’s concerns, with the leader of the largest province calling the federal government “slow to react” and “stuck on its back foot.

OTTAWA - A 25 percent tariff would be damaging to both Canadian and American workers alike and would lead to job losses on both sides of the border, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau warned on Wednesday, in response to US President-elect Donald Trump's tariff threat.

Many of the prime minister’s political opponents were as critical of him as about the president-elect’s plan, which would adversely affect Canada’s economy.