U.S. President Donald Trump has been jolted by Ontario’s 25 per cent surcharge on electricity sold stateside in retaliation his tariffs.
Twelve hours after Premier Doug Ford imposed what he dubbed “tariff response charge” to be paid by utilities in New York, Michigan and Minnesota that import Ontario power, Trump took to social media to complain.
“Despite the fact that Canada is charging the USA from 250% to 390% Tariffs on many of our farm products, Ontario just announced a 25% surcharge on ‘electricity,’ of all things, and your (sic) not even allowed to do that,” the president said late Monday night.
“Because our Tariffs are reciprocal, we’ll just get it all back on April 2. Canada is a Tariff abuser, and always has been, but the United States is not going to be subsidizing Canada any longer,” Trump continued.
“We don’t need your Cars, we don’t need your Lumber, we don’t need your Energy, and very soon, you will find that out. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!!!”
Trump’s claim about Canadian agricultural tariffs are not accurate and he was the president who negotiated the North American free trade deal that is currently in effect.
Ford’s office expressed surprise that the U.S. president would even notice a largely symbolic measure that will only collect between $300,000 to $400,000 a day for the province.
But it was a vindication for the premier’s hawkish strategy on dealing with Trump.
“Until these tariffs are off the table, until the threat of tariffs is gone, Ontario will not relent,” Ford said Monday.
“We will not back down … we will apply maximum pressure to maximize our leverage.”
That’s the message the premier has been delivering in a media blitz with the U.S. cable networks that Trump closely monitors.
Ford’s aggressive stance has already sparked a reaction from U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who phoned the premier last week and urged him to tone down the anti-tariff rhetoric.
Ontario supplies about 1.5 million customers in the three U.S. states and the governors of New York, Michigan and Minnesota have implored Trump to scrap his tariffs on Canadian goods.
Stock markets have plunged and the president has admitted his moves may trigger an economic recession.
This is a developing story.
