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By James Bickerton
News Reporter
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Premier Doug Ford, who oversees Canada's most populous province of Ontario, has warned it could restrict electricity experts to New York, Michigan and Minnesota if President-elect Donald Trump goes ahead with his plan to impose a 25 percent tariff on all goods entering the United States from Canada.
Ford, a member of Canada's opposition Progressive Conservative Party, said the move would be a "last resort," adding he would use "every tool" to "defend Ontarians and Canadians." The premier also indicated that access to American-made alcohol in the Ontarian market could be restricted if Trump's tariffs are imposed.
In a November 25 post on Truth Social, Trump said he would impose a 25 percent tariff on all goods from Canada and Mexico "until such time as Drugs, in particular Fentanyl, and all Illegal Aliens stop this Invasion of our Country!"
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Ford hit back on Thursday, saying that if the tariffs went ahead, he could restrict electricity exports to the three states while asking Ontario's liquor control board to place extra controls on U.S. products.
"I don't think President-elect Trump wants that to happen. We're sending a message to the U.S. If you come and attack Ontario, you attack the livelihoods of people in Ontario and Canadians, we are going to use every tool in our tool box to defend Ontarians and Canadians. Let's hope it never comes to that," Ford said.
Newsweek reached out to Trump's transition team and Ford's office for comment on Friday via email outside of regular office hours.
According to the federal Energy Information Administration, in 2023, 60 percent of the oil imported into the U.S. came from Canada, with the Statista Research Department reporting that in that year, an average of 3,885,000 barrels per day moved south across the border.
Canadian government statistics show that in 2023, 97 percent of the country's oil exports went to the U.S., with the Midwest and Great Lakes regions particularly dependent.
The Associated Press reported that Canadian energy powered 1.5 million homes in the U.S. in 2023.
When asked on Thursday at the New York Stock Exchange about the prospect of Ford restricting energy supplies, Trump replied, "That's OK if he does that. That's fine."
A CNBC reporter later said that Trump had told them off camera that he hoped a deal could be reached with Canada.
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Referencing this in a post on X, Ford said: "President Trump told a reporter that he hopes the U.S. and Canada can work something out. I agree."
"The good news is the pathway to a deal isn't complicated. The federal government needs to make sure Canada invests in our shared security with a credible plan to reach our two per cent defence spending NATO commitments, which all premiers support.
"The federal government needs to immediately protect our border against illegal immigration, drugs and guns that hurt both American and Canadian families."
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has taken a different approach to Ford, guaranteeing her province won't cut off energy exports to the U.S. She said at a news conference on Friday: "Under no circumstances will Alberta agree to cut off oil and gas exports."
"Instead, we're taking a diplomatic approach, and we're meeting with our allies in the U.S. We're making the case for Alberta oil and gas to be part of the solution to energy affordability and energy security."
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau flew out to meet Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida almost immediately after the president-elect announced his tariff plan.
Fox News reported that Trump suggested that "maybe Canada should become the 51st state" if it wants to avoid tariffs. The incoming president later repeated the jape on his Truth Social website, referring to the Canadian leader as "Governor Justin Trudeau of the Great State of Canada."
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