Canada Threatens Energy Retaliation Over Trump’s Pro-America Trade Policies
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has warned that energy exports to the United States may be cut off if President-elect Donald Trump implements a 25% tariff on Canadian imports. The tariffs, part of Trump’s pro-America trade policies, are designed to address illegal immigration and drug trafficking concerns.
Ford, speaking after a meeting with leftist Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other provincial leaders, pledged a robust response. “We will use every tool in our toolbox to fight back. We can’t sit back and roll over,” Ford said. He emphasized the critical role Canada plays in U.S. energy supplies, noting that Ontario provides nearly half of Michigan’s electricity.
The potential retaliation highlights the stakes of escalating trade tensions. While Ford focused on Ontario’s role, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland signaled that other measures, including restricting exports of critical minerals essential to U.S. national security, were also on the table. However, Freeland did not explicitly mention oil, which makes up a substantial portion of Canada’s trade with the United States.
Trump’s pro-America trade policies have been met with resistance from Trudeau, who called the proposed tariffs “absolutely devastating.” Trudeau’s comments about the U.S. election, in which he lamented Vice President Kamala Harris’s defeat, drew criticism from Ford, who called the remarks “unhelpful.” Ford stressed the importance of respecting the democratic process, saying, “Donald Trump was elected democratically. That’s not our issue.”
Canada’s reliance on U.S. markets, particularly in energy and critical minerals, makes the standoff particularly consequential. Nearly a third of Canada’s trade with the U.S. is tied to energy, and provincial leaders are weighing their options as Trump’s policies take shape.
