Doug Ford warns of energy retaliation amid US threat to impose 25 percent tariff on Canadian imports

(MENAFN) Ontario Premier Doug Ford delivered a sharp response following a meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and other provincial leaders on Wednesday, aimed at formulating a strategy to combat a looming 25 percent tariff on Canadian imports to the US.

“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,” Ford declared during a press conference after the 90-minute meeting, underscoring the seriousness of the threat.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland and Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc held a separate news conference, adopting a more measured tone. Freeland promised a "robust Canadian response to unjustified American tariffs" but refrained from providing specifics, mentioning that Canada would retaliate in the areas of metals and critical minerals.

The threat of the tariffs stemmed from US President-elect Donald Trump's statements, where he vowed to impose a 25 percent tariff on Canadian and Mexican imports unless the countries halted what he called an "invasion" of drugs, particularly fentanyl, and "all illegal aliens" into the US.

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