'Stand with Beijing or stand with Washington,' Premier Ford tells Mexico
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said threats to cut off electrical exports to the U.S. is a measure of "last resort" in ongoing trade tiff with President-elect Donald Trump
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One day after Ontario’s premier threatened to cut off energy exports to the United States in response to the Trump tariff threats, on Thursday he described using such measures as a last resort.
“We power 1.5 million homes, and if they put on tariffs it’s going to be unaffordable for Americans to buy electricity,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford said during a Thursday morning press conference.
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“Just like if they put tariffs on the 4.3 million barrels of oil that Alberta’s shipping down to the U.S. — if you put 25% that increases (the cost) of every gallon of gasoline by one dollar. So I don’t think that President-elect Trump wants that to happen.”
After Wednesday’s meeting between Canada’s premiers and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Ford said that if President-elect Donald Trump follows through with his threats of imposing blanket 25% tariffs on all Canadian good imported into the U.S., Ontario will follow suit by cutting off electricity exports to the United States.
According to the Independent Electricity System Operator, Ontario exported 16.5 TWh (Terawatt-hours) of electricity to the United States, while importing only 4.1 TWh.
The problem, Ford reiterated, lies with China — not Canada.
“China, shipping in parts to Mexico and Mexico slapping on ‘made in Mexico’ stickers, and shipping them up through the U.S. and Canada and taking American and Canadian jobs, that’s the problem,” he said.
“Mexico has a choice — stand with Beijing or stand with Washington. I know Canada, we’re standing with Washington.”
Ford said his message was clear.
“If you come and attack Ontario, you attack the livelihoods of the people of Ontario and Canadians, we’re going to use every tool in our toolbox to defend Ontarians and Canadians across the border,” he said.
“And let’s hope it never comes to that point.”
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