Ontario Premier Doug Ford launched a fierce response Wednesday to U.S. President Donald Trump’s surprise announcement of a 25 percent tariff on all automotive imports, calling for Canada to inflict “as much pain as possible” on the U.S. without harming Canadians. Speaking at an urgent press conference at Queen’s Park, Ford expressed outrage at what he described as a targeted assault on North American economic integration and warned of a coordinated Canadian counteroffensive.
Ford revealed he has already spoken to Prime Minister Mark Carney and urged him to call a first ministers’ meeting immediately. The premier was unreserved in his criticism of Trump’s designation of April 2 as “Liberation Day.” Ford sarcastically referred to it instead as “Termination Day” for American workers and criticized Trump’s reality-show rhetoric. “I know President Trump likes telling people ‘You’re fired.’ I just didn’t think he meant it literally for U.S. autoworkers,” Ford remarked.
Ford declared his intention to push for retaliatory measures that would target the U.S. directly, in one of his strongest trade-related statements to date. Though he clarified that Ontario has not yet reinstated its electricity surcharge on the three American states it supplies, he emphasized that the option remains on the table as a potential pressure tactic. Ford insisted any countermeasures would aim to spare Canadians while maximizing pressure on U.S. consumers and industries.
The economic stakes are particularly high for Ontario, where vehicles and auto parts account for 30 percent of all exports. Trump’s executive order introduces a complex formula whereby cars made in Canada and Mexico will face tariffs based on the percentage of their content not manufactured in the U.S. Although the tariffs won’t immediately apply to CUSMA-shipped parts, they eventually will — creating serious uncertainty for Ontario’s massive auto sector.
Ford also questioned the timing of Trump’s announcement, suggesting it could be a diversion from the growing scandal surrounding the U.S. Secretary of Defence. Calling it an “awful coincidence,” Ford implied that Trump’s decision may have been politically motivated to shift headlines. With tensions escalating across the border, Ford’s remarks signal that Canada’s provinces are preparing to meet Trump’s protectionist agenda with fierce resistance and strategic retaliation.
