TEHRAN (Tasnim) Ontario Premier Doug Ford said on Monday he is ready to halt electricity exports to the United States if President Donald Trump proceeds with a 25% tariff on Canadian goods.
- World news -If they want to try to annihilate Ontario, I will do everything including cut off their energy with a smile on my face, Ford told reporters at a mining convention in downtown Toronto, according to the Toronto Sun.
Ford reiterated his stance, emphasizing that the US depends on Canadian electricity and should face consequences for imposing tariffs.
They rely on our energy. They need to feel the pain. They want to come at us hard, were going to come back twice as hard, he said.
He also pledged to match the tariffs dollar-for-dollar, saying, Thats exactly what were going to do.
Ford suggested that both federal and provincial governments are aligned in opposing the US measures.
The provinces have a big say in it, but its the federal government thats leading the charge, and were going to stand shoulder-to-shoulder no matter whos in the federal government, he said.
I (didnt)start this tariff war, but were going to win this tariff war, he added.
Fords comments came as Trump confirmed on Monday that the 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico would take effect Tuesday, saying no further negotiations would take place before the 30-day delay expires.
The tariffs, theyre all set. They go into effect tomorrow, Trump said, adding that there was no room left for Mexico or Canada to strike a deal before the deadline.
Last week, Trump had warned that the tariffs would proceed after a month-long delay, during which he engaged in discussions with Canadian and Mexican leaders about curbing drug trafficking at the border.
He claimed that large quantities of fentanyl had entered the US primarily through Mexico and China and urged automakers to shift production to the US to bypass the tariffs.
So, what they have to do is build their car plants, frankly, and other things in the United States, in which case they have no tariffs, Trump said.
The US president also announced that reciprocal tariffs on imports from countries that impose duties on US goods would begin on April 2.
