Doug Ford, the minister of Ontario, Canada, has spoken out about the imposition of tariffs on electricity sold to New York from his province. In an interview, Ford lamented the situation and expressed that the responsibility does not lie with the Americans, but with President Trump.
In his statements, Ford mentioned that, despite not wanting to, they are forced to retaliate against their allies. He highlighted that the imposition of tariffs will affect the prices and availability of American liquor in local stores, but assured that the priority is to protect families and workers in Ontario's manufacturing industry.
The minister revealed that he has held conversations with governors of New York, Michigan, and Minnesota, as well as with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick. Although the conversations were productive, Ford indicated that the imposition of energy tariffs is inevitable due to the negative impact of the tariffs imposed by Trump on workers.
Ford emphasized the need for a fair and mutually beneficial agreement between Canada and the United States. Blaming Trump for the tariff situation, Ford described the tariffs as the 'craziest idea' put forward by the U.S. president.
The Ontario minister highlighted that the imposition of tariffs and the suspension of the consumption of American liquor is an undesirable but necessary measure due to the imposed circumstances. Regarding the possible postponement of tariffs on the automotive industry, Ford expressed his concern about job uncertainty both in Canada and the United States. Additionally, he pointed out that Trump's policies go against the promises to create jobs and reduce inflation that he made during his presidential campaign.
Ontario is home to U.S. auto factories such as Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis, and provides high-quality materials for their production. Ford assured that Canada wishes to continue strengthening the economic and trade relationship with the United States despite the current tensions.
