One of Canada’s leading right-wing politicians was taken aback by Donald Trump’s threat to impose tariffs on America’s northern neighbor.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford, a member of Canada’s Conservative Party, said to the press Tuesday that Trump’s threat to impose 25 percent tariffs on Canadian goods entering the United States is “like a family member stabbing you right in the heart.”
“It’s the biggest threat we’ve ever seen.… It’s unfortunate, it’s very, very hurtful to Canadians and Americans on both sides,” Ford said.
Like Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Tuesday, Ford said that Canada would have “no choice” but to retaliate with tariffs of its own, pointing out that such a move would hurt the $500 billion in annual trade between the United States and the province of Ontario, as well as the country’s entire economy. Trump attacked Canada, Mexico, and China in Truth Social posts on Monday, accusing the North American countries of not doing enough to restrict migrants and drugs from crossing U.S. borders.
If the province of Ontario was a country, it would be America’s third-largest trading partner, serving as the top destination for exports for 17 states, and the second-largest for 11 others, so Ford is understandably worried. But right-wing politicians have a lot in common, and Ford said he heard the president-elect’s border comments “loud and clear.”
“The threat is serious. We need to do better on our borders. We need to give resources to [the Canada Border Services Agency],” he said, but pointed out that drugs, guns, and migrants arrive in Canada from the United States. “We have to tighten our borders on both sides.”
Ford has also attacked Mexico in recent weeks, proposing a new trade deal between Canada and the U.S. that would exclude Mexico, and seemed particularly upset that Trump would lump the two countries together.
“I want to emphasize, to compare us to Mexico is the most insulting thing I have ever heard from our friends and closest allies, the United States of America,” Ford said.
The leader of the Conservatives, Pierre Poilievre, has often been compared to Trump, insulting his opponents and the media. But that didn’t stop him from criticizing Trump as well, calling the proposed tariff “an unjustified threat.”
“Our economy is teetering on the brink of collapse, and now we face this renewed threat,” Poilievre said. “We need a plan to put Canada first.”
