The prime ministers of Canada's major oil regions are threatening to cut off energy and critical mineral exports to the United States if President-elect Donald Trump imposes significant tariffs on all Canadian products.
President Trump recently threatened to impose a 25% tariff on all Canadian and Mexican exports to stem the flow of exports. illegal immigration And illegal drugs are coming into the United States.
Just days after President Trump's announcement, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the province would consider retaliatory action against the United States if the president-elect follows through on his promise.
“We're going to go as far as cutting off their energy from Michigan to New York to Wisconsin,” Ford, who represents an area known for its oil production, told reporters.
Trump provokes Trudeau, who continues to promote tariffs, with new title: “Great Canadian Nation''
Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario, Canada, speaks during a press conference after the Canadian Prime Minister's Meeting in Toronto, Monday, December 2, 2019. (Cole Burston)
The prime minister added that other domestic officials are also reportedly identifying ways that could negatively impact U.S. exports if President Trump imposes tariffs.
“Some premiers have actively identified products that their provinces produce and export to the United States, that the United States depends on, and that should be considered as part of Canada's response. It also contained minerals and metals,” Ford said.
According to the Energy Information Administration, Canada was the United States' largest source of energy imports in 2019.
President-elect Donald Trump has threatened to impose 25% tariffs on Canada. (Peter Kramer/NBC via Getty Images)
“Canadians are going to get hurt, but I can guarantee you one thing: Americans are going to feel pain as well. Isn't that a shame?” Ford said.
Ford is also reportedly considering banning the sale of American-made alcohol in Ontario.
But a Canadian political science professor says Ford may not be able to unilaterally cut off the state's energy supply to the United States.
“I don't think Ontario can unilaterally stop electricity exports to the U.S. without Ottawa's approval. Similarly, Michigan can't unilaterally cut off the flow of natural gas from western Canada to eastern Canada without Washington's approval.” We can't stop it,” Nelson Wiseman, a political science professor at the University of Toronto, told Now Toronto. in response to Ford's threat of retaliation.
President-elect Donald Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau recently met in Palm Beach, Florida. (Nicholas Kam)
President Trump responded to the threat by saying, “It's okay to do that.”
“The United States is subsidizing Canada, so we don't have to do that,” Trump told CNBC at the New York Stock Exchange on Thursday. “And we have a great relationship. We have a lot of friends in Canada, but we don't need to subsidize the country.”
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After President Trump threatened to impose tariffs on the country, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau traveled to West Palm Beach, Florida, and met with the president-elect at Mar-a-Lago. President Trump called the meeting “a very productive meeting.”
