Canada will not retaliate against US over block of mask exports - Prime Minister

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said his country was not planning to retaliate over U.S. President Donald Trump’s move to block 3M Co’s exports of N95 respirator masks for use by doctors and nurses.

Trudeau said that he expected to speak with Trump in the coming days and that Canadian officials were having “very constructive” discussions with the U.S. administration.

“We are not looking at retaliatory measures or measures that are punitive,” he said in his daily address in Ottawa. “We know it is in both of our interests to work collaboratively and cooperatively to keep our citizens safe.

“That’s very much the tenor of our conversations and I’m confident that we’re going to get there.”

Late Thursday, Trump slammed 3M in a tweet after earlier invoking the Defense Production Act to get the company to produce protective face masks. N95 masks, essential for protecting healthcare professionals from breathing in the coronavirus, are in short supply.

Trudeau said a chartered air shipment of millions of masks was due to arrive in Canada in the next 48 hours.