Doug Ford, Premier of the Canadian province of Ontario, was optimistic when he spoke with American journalist Neil Cavuto on Fox News last week.
Asked about President-elect Donald Trump‘s threat of placing a 25% tariff on Canadian goods, Ford struck a cheerful tone reminding Americans that Canada is the number one trading partner to 17 states and the number 2 partner to 11 other states.
It’s also the case, Ford said, that “nine million Americans wake up every day to produce products that get shipped to Ontario. It’s a great partnership.”
.@fordnation to Neil: I think it’s a great partnership and great friendship that’s gone on for many, many generations. And we want to keep it that way pic.twitter.com/fsVFsmnxBX
— Neil Cavuto (@TeamCavuto) December 5, 2024
One week later, after Trump referred to Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau as “governor of the great state of Canada,” Ford said on Wednesday that he had spoken with Trudeau and the rest of the Premiers about the trade outlook after Trump returns to the White House.
Ford told CBC News that: “We need to be ready to fight. This fight is coming 100 percent on January 20th or January 21st” and “we need to line up everything that we’re going to tariff.”
BREAKING: Ontario Premier Doug Ford threatens to cut off fuel to the United States if Trump tariffs Canada.
“We need to be ready to fight [on] January the 20th.”
“We will go to the extent of cutting off their energy, going down to Michigan, going down to New York State and over… pic.twitter.com/GCIl0KSDXy
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) December 12, 2024
Ford added: “We will go to the full extent, depending on how far this goes. We will go to the extent of cutting off their energy. Going down to Michigan, going down to New York State and over to Wisconsin. I don’t want this to happen but my number one job is to protect Ontario, Ontarians, and Canadians as a whole, since we’re the largest province.”