Ontario Premier Doug Ford Photo: Bloomberg via Getty Images
Canada and China have announced retaliatory measures after US President Donald Trump imposed large-scale tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico and China. Against this backdrop, Ontario Premier Doug Ford threatened to cut off electricity supplies to US states that depend on the Canadian power grid. This was reported by Radio Canada
Ontario’s tough response
Ford said that Ontario is ready to retaliate if Washington does not abandon the new duties.
“If they want to destroy Ontario, I will do everything I can – even cut off the electricity supply with a smile on my face,” he said in a speech in Toronto.
The United States is heavily dependent on Canadian electricity. In particular, New York, Michigan and Minnesota are the largest consumers of electricity produced in Ontario.
Trump opens a new front in the trade war
On the initiative of Donald Trump, the United States introduced the ban on 5 March:
- 25% duty on goods from Canada and Mexico
- 20% duty on imports from China
The total volume of imported goods subject to the new tariffs exceeds $918 billion. This threatens to trigger a new phase of the global trade war.
Canada and China prepare countermeasures
Canada and China have already announced retaliatory sanctions. Analysts warn that further escalation of the conflict could have serious consequences for global markets and economies.
Will Trump go all the way in his trade war? And will Canada risk striking a blow to US energy security? The answers to these questions could determine the future of economic relations between the two countries.
