Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland says with Donald Trump as president, the United States has an open strategy of creating economic uncertainty in other countries to discourage investment outside U.S. borders.
Freeland says the incoming Trump administration is proudly economic nationalist and Ottawa is realistic in recognizing that's the case.
She says there is a global fight for capital, investment and the jobs they bring, and Canada needs to be assertive in fighting for capital.
Freeland promised to elaborate on those comments in the government's fall economic statement, which is scheduled to be released on Monday.
The federal and provincial governments are working out how navigate Trump's threat to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all imports from Canada when he takes office in January.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said earlier this week Ottawa is preparing retaliatory tariffs and threatened to restrict electricity exports from Ontario.