Canada’s Premier Responds to U.S. Tariffs with a Bold Threat

Ontario’s Premier, Doug Ford, made a strong statement about how his province might respond to new tariffs announced by President Donald Trump.

On the day the tariffs took effect, Ford threatened to cut off energy exports to the United States. He said that if the U.S. continues to impose tariffs on Canadian goods, he would be willing to stop supplying power to U.S. states that rely on Ontario’s energy. This was meant as a warning to show how important Canada’s resources are to the U.S.

Ford explained that if the U.S. wanted to hurt Ontario’s economy, he would do everything in his power to fight back. Ontario supplies a large amount of electricity to states like New York, Michigan, and Minnesota, which rely on this energy for homes and businesses. In 2023, Ontario powered about 1.5 million homes in the U.S. alone.

This threat came just before Trump’s new 25% tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China went into effect at midnight. These tariffs meant that any goods brought into the U.S. from these countries would be taxed extra, making them more expensive.

Ford also promised that Canada would respond to the tariffs by matching the 25% tax that the U.S. had put on Canadian goods. He said Canada didn’t start the trade dispute, but they were ready to fight back. He also made it clear that the Canadian provinces, including Ontario, would support each other in standing up to the U.S.

Governor Kathy Hochul of New York responded to Ford’s threat by saying that she didn’t believe he would actually cut off energy supplies. She pointed out that Ford and she have a friendly relationship, and she hoped to continue working together to support each other through the difficult situation.

At the same time, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made it clear that Canada would not back down. He announced that Canada would impose its own tariffs on U.S. goods worth about $20.7 billion. This includes everyday items like orange juice, peanut butter, beer, and even motorcycles. Trudeau also said that if the tariffs were still in place in 21 days, Canada would add even more tariffs on other U.S. products.

The conflict between the U.S. and Canada is an example of a trade war, where countries try to hurt each other’s economies by placing taxes on each other’s goods. Trudeau said that Canada would stand firm and would not let the U.S. push them around.