Official announcements from U.S. and Canadian governments or major news outlets

Ontario Premier Threatens to Cut Off Energy to U.S. Over Trump's 25% Tariff Threat

Dec 12, 2024, 03:20 AM

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has threatened to cut off energy exports to the United States in response to President-elect Donald Trump's potential imposition of a 25% tariff on all Canadian imports. This statement came after a virtual meeting with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other provincial leaders to discuss strategies against the tariff threat. Ford emphasized that while he hopes to avoid such drastic measures, his primary responsibility is to protect Ontario and Canada as a whole. The proposed tariffs by Trump are intended to address concerns over the flow of migrants and illegal drugs from Canada into the U.S. Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland confirmed that several provincial leaders supported a robust response to any unjustified tariffs, including the potential halt of critical minerals and metals exports to the U.S. Canada is preparing retaliatory tariffs and has promised increased border security measures to address Trump's concerns, which include deploying additional border and police officers, drones, and sniffer dogs. Ontario alone exported enough electricity to power 1.5 million homes in Michigan, Minnesota, and New York in 2023. The situation has escalated following Trump's recent comments and threats, with the potential for significant economic repercussions for both nations, especially considering Canada is the top export destination for 36 U.S. states.