Ford calls for inflicting ‘as much pain as possible’ on U.S. after Trump tariff announcement
Posted Mar 26, 2025 07:08:46 PM.
Last Updated Mar 27, 2025 02:30:53 PM.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he fully supports retaliatory tariffs and inflicting as much pain as possible on Americans after U.S. President Donald Trump announced 25 per cent tariffs on automotive imports.
Ford says he spoke with Prime Minister Mark Carney and asked him to convene a first ministers’ meeting “as soon as possible.”
“President Trump is calling [April 2nd] ‘Liberation Day’, I call it ‘Termination Day’ for American workers,” Ford said at a hastily called news conference at Queen’s Park late Wednesday. “I know President Trump likes telling people, ‘You’re fired,’ I didn’t think he meant auto workers in the U.S.”
“I can assure you of one thing: we’re going to make sure to inflict as much pain as possible on the American people without inflicting pain on the Canadian population.”
According to the executive order signed by Trump, cars built in Mexico and Canada would be tariffed at a lower rate based on what percentage of the car that is built in those countries. The tariff won’t be immediately applied to parts shipped under the USMCA deal but eventually it will, based on the value of the non-US components of the parts.
Vehicles and auto parts make up 30 per cent of Ontario exports.
Ford says he’s not re-imposing a surcharge on electricity Ontario sends to three states, but it remains on the table.
The premier also called it an “awful coincidence” that Trump’s announcement was made as the controversy surrounding his Secretary of Defence heated up.
