COVID-19: Donald Trump asks 3M to limit exports to Canada, Trudeau calls it 'mistake'

In the recent development in the feud between the Minnesota-based company, 3M and the United States administration, the former has said that the federal authorities’ ban on its exports will have “significant humanitarian implications” and Canadian PM called it a "mistake". It started with a report on the international news broadcaster, where an official from the US Federal Emergency Management Agency said that 3M’s distributors informed him that the company is exporting the N-95 masks, required for protection against the deadly coronavirus, to other countries before the US. Following the report, US President Donald Trump took to Twitter to declare “we hit 3M hard today”.

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It implied that White House issued an order regarding 3M under Defense Production Act stating that company has to deliver the protective equipment in ‘appropriate number’ to US amid the ongoing coronavirus outbreak which has killed over 7,400 people in the United States and infected at least 277,522, as of April 4. However, since Trump administration has now requested 3M to ban exports to Canada and Latin American countries, in a statement, the US-based company said that they are “critical suppliers” of the equipment in those specific countries, thus, it would motivate other countries to retaliate in a similar manner. 

The official statement by 3M said, “The Administration also requested that 3M cease exporting respirators that we currently manufacture in the United States to the Canadian and Latin American markets. There are, however, significant humanitarian implications of ceasing respirator supplies to healthcare workers in Canada and Latin America, where we are a critical supplier of respirators.”

“In addition, ceasing all export of respirators produced in the United States would likely cause other countries to retaliate and do the same, as some have already done. If that were to occur, the net number of respirators being made available to the United States would actually decrease.”, it added.

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Canadian PM calls it ‘mistake’

According to reports, soon after the declaration by the White House, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said it would be a “mistake” for Trump administration to limit exports of the essential protective gear in the middle of the global crisis. Trudeau’s comments came hours after the 3M company said that White House had requested it limit the equipment including much-needed N-95 masks to foreign countries. The Canadian PM further even cautioned the US by saying that there are certain things that “Americans rely on” and creating blockages amid the to and fro trade would be a blunder. 

After originating from China’s “wet markets”, the coronavirus has now claimed over 59,226 lives worldwide as of April 4. According to the tally by international news agency, the pandemic has now spread to 205 countries and has infected at least 1,118,559 people. Out of the total infections, 229,274 have been recovered but the easily spread virus is continuing to disrupt many lives. Major cities have been put under lockdown in almost all countries and the economy is struggling. 

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