Canada’s premiers visited Washington this week to make the case for open trade, but influential figures in the president’s circle see tariffs as the path to prosperity.

All 13 of Canada's provincial and territorial leaders were in the US capital as the country seeks to avoid punitive trade tariffs.

U.S. President Donald Trump's planned 25% tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports would be added onto other levies on Canadian goods, resulting in a total 50% tariff, a White House official said on Tuesday.