Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he will use every tool at his disposal to tariffs threats from incoming U.S. President Donald Trump.
Speaking Friday on The Morning Rush with Bill Carroll on NewsTalk 580 CFRA, Ford reiterated that he would pull the plug on the electricity Ontario supplies to Michigan, New York and Wisconsin should Trump follow through on his threat to impose a 25 per cent tax on all products entering the United States from Canada.
“We don’t know what type of goods. It’s going to happen, January 20th or 21st,” said Ford. “He’s been very clear.”
“When you’re under attack and you have to protect Ontario jobs and Canadian jobs, I’ll use every tool in our toolbox to protect our country and protect our province.”
Ford says Ontario energy is used to power 1.5 million U.S. homes and says the last thing he wants is a trade war.
“Who has the energy they need? Ontario has the energy. So, you have to go with your strengths. You never roll over and be weak,” Ford added.
Earlier this week, Trump responded to Ford’s move to counter proposed tariffs.
” That’s fine,” Trump told American network CNBC when asked Thursday about Ford’s remarks on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.
“The United States is subsidizing Canada and we shouldn’t have to do that,” Trump said.
“And we have a great relationship. I have so many friends in Canada, but we shouldn’t have to subsidize a country,” he said, claiming this amounts to more than $100 billion USD annually in unspecified subsidies.
More to come