Canada's premiers express opposition to U.S. tariff escalation; Ontario premier Ford lashes out after new threat to auto sector
Canada's premiers delivered a largely unified front this weekend against the new 50-per-cent-tariffs on $28 billion of Canadian goods that stormed into effect early Saturday morning after trade talks between Canada and the U.S. collapsed – and as things escalated on Monday, as U.S. president Donald Trump threatened additional 50-per-cent tariffs on all Canadian cars, trucks, and automotive parts by Jan. 1, 2027.
Trump issued the tariff threat via his Truth Social online platform on Monday, saying that he would impose more tariffs “on all cars, trucks, both large and small, automotive parts, and steel” on New Year’s Day, adding that “We don’t need Canada, they need us!”
Prime Minister Mark Carney suspended negotiations after what he called last-minute US demands that were "uneconomic, unfair," and which he said called into question the reliability of any deal. Canada's retaliatory measures – which Carney said would be dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs, according to CBC News – are set to come into effect on Sept. 8.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, BC Premier David Eby, New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston, Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew, and Quebec Premier Christine Fréchette all spoke out against the 50-per-cent tariffs imposed by the US on Saturday. Alberta’s Danielle Smith was less adamant, agreeing with the federal government’s refusal to make a deal while expressing a desire for talks to resume, reported CBC News.
Scuttled deal would hurt manufacturing, auto sectors: Ford
Ontario Premier Doug Ford praised Carney for walking away from the deal, saying it would have hurt Ontario's auto, steel and manufacturing sectors. Ford urged Canada to use "every tool in our toolbox" — and went considerably further on Monday, calling Trump "arrogant and cocky" and saying the president could "kiss my ass," while pledging Canada would "throw everything in the kitchen sink,” according to Bloomberg.
Ford also told the Associated Press that Ronald Reagan would be "throwing up" over Trump's trade policies and threatened to cut off electricity and critical minerals to the US if the dispute worsens. On social media Friday night, Ford had written that Carney "has my full support for a strong response — tariff for tariff, dollar for dollar," adding that Canada "needs to stand together more united than ever before."
New tariffs will cause job losses: estimates
For HR leaders in Ontario — home to Canada's most concentrated automotive and manufacturing workforce — Ford's comments signal a province preparing for direct impact. The 50-per-cent tariffs now in effect could cause 36,100 job losses in Ontario alone as part of 87,000 across the country, according to estimates by University of Calgary economics professor Trevor Tombe – even before additional tariffs on the auto sector.
Ford also said that he had spoken to CEOs in the Canadian auto sector and all agreed the the deal that fell apart last week was “a terrible deal” that would cost “hundreds of thousands of jobs,” reported Bloomberg. He also said he would go on US media to remind Americans that tariffs hurt people south of the border as well.
