President Donald Trump’s long-promised tariffs on goods imported from China, Canada and Mexico took effect on Tuesday. It marks the start of a trade war that has many Alaskans bracing for higher prices.
Despite the growing tensions between the countries, local leaders in Juneau say they are committed to maintaining a close relationship with the Canadian city of Whitehorse.
At an Assembly meeting Monday night, Juneau’s Mayor Beth Weldon told members she sent a letter to the mayor of Whitehorse to reaffirm their friendship. Nearly 40 years ago, the two municipalities signed a resolution to become sister cities.
“To emphasize that they’re still a sister of ours and to remain friends during this difficult time,” she said.
A sister city is a symbolic agreement between two local municipalities that promotes the pair’s cultural and economic ties. In her letter sent last month, Weldon said she hopes that their relationship will continue “unaffected by the political climate.”
Last month, the Haines Borough Assembly similarly sent a letter to a few of its neighboring Canadian cities to reaffirm its friendship with them.
Trump’s steep new taxes include a 25% levy on most imports from Canada and Mexico, and another 10% tariff on Canadian energy exports. He said the taxes would curb illegal fentanyl trafficking coming into the U.S. from its northern and southern borders.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau rebuffed that claim and announced retaliatory tariffs on American goods.
Lawmakers and economic experts in Alaska say the state could be uniquely vulnerable to the trade war because of its reliance on Canadian products. They warn that the financial repercussions of the tariffs may hit harder in more remote communities close to the border.
