Watch Ontario electricity producers tank tomorrow after this ridiculous notion.
theglobeandmail.com
eia.gov
Ontario prepared to stop exporting electricity to U.S. if Trump follows through on tariffs, Ford says
Ontario would be prepared to cut off electricity exports to the United States, Ontario premier Doug Ford said Wednesday following a meeting between Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the provinces over Donald Trump’s tariff threat.
He said Ontario is also preparing a list of retaliatory tariffs that could be enacted on the Americans if the U.S. follows through, including cutting off energy supply sent south of the border.
“We’re going to put our list together, and I’m sure the other provinces will as well. But we will go to the full extent, depending 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.”
Ontario exported 13.9 million megawatt-hours of electricity to the United States in 2023, about 13 per cent of Canada’s overall power exports to American customers that year, according to Statistics Canada.
Mr. Trudeau met with premiers for about 90 minutes Wednesday to discuss plans for convincing Mr. Trump to back off threatened steep tariffs. The U.S. president-elect has shown no signs of backing off a Nov. 25 announcement that he plans to impose 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian and Mexican imports unless both countries stop illegal migration and smuggling of the opioid fentanyl into U.S. territory.
Canada has promised more border security spending to address Mr. Trump’s concerns, with Mr. Trudeau telling him Ottawa would buy more helicopters and drones and add more staff. The government is expected to unveil these new investments in the fall economic statement next Monday.
A senior government official said new border investments will likely exceed $1-billion and Canada will shortly present its plan to the incoming Trump administration. While the exact number will be announced in Monday’s fall economic statements details will not be divulged until a later point in December, the official said. The Globe is not identifying the source because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter.
Mr. Ford said Mr. Trudeau was told “loud and clear” during the meeting that the prime minister was wrong to tell a Canadian audience it was unfortunate American voters picked Donald Trump over Kamala Harris.
The premier said Mr. Trudeau’s controversial remarks were brought up several times during the call.
“It’s not helpful at all. Donald Trump was elected democratically. If you like him or you don’t like him, that’s not our issue, we elect Canadians, and it was not helpful whatsoever. And I’m sure he, the Prime Minister, got that message loud and clear,” Mr. Ford said.
On Tuesday, Mr. Trudeau lamented the fact U.S. voters picked Mr. Trump instead of Ms. Harris as president a day while speaking at a gala for Equal Voice, an organization dedicated to improving gender representation in Canadian politics
“We were supposed to be on a steady, if difficult, sometimes, march towards progress. And yet, just a few weeks ago, the United States voted for a second time to not elect its first woman president,” Mr. Trudeau said. “Everywhere, women’s rights and women’s progress is under attack – overtly and subtly.”
Billionaire Elon Musk, a close ally of Trump, ridiculed Mr. Trudeau on X on Wednesday over the comments.
“He’s such an insufferable tool. Won’t be in power for much longer,” Mr. Musk wrote.
Mr. Ford said there is no doubt American tariffs are coming and Canada needs to be prepared.
“We need to be ready to fight,” Mr. Ford said.
Asked about Mr. Ford’s proposal to cut off electricity exports from Ontario, Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland noted Mr. Trudeau earlier this week talked about retaliatory tariffs if Mr. Trump proceeds with tariffs.
Quebec Premier Francois Legault, posting on X, said he wants Canada to conduct criminal background checks on foreigners who need visas to enter this country. And, he said, Ottawa must reinstate a rule requiring these travellers to show a departing ticket from Canada and enough assets to support their visit to Canada.
Action is needed to prevent those who arrive in Canada with visas obtained under false pretenses from immigrating illegally to the United States,” he said.
He also said Canada should undertake a renegotiation of the United States-Mexico-Canada trade agreement immediately rather than way until 2026 when the deal is up for renewal.
“We must do everything to avoid entering into a tariff war with our southern neighbors,” Mr. Legault said.
Public Safety Minister Dominic LeBlanc, who also participated in the Trudeau-premiers meeting, said Mr. Trudeau put smuggling of fentanyl from Canada into the United States into perspective for the premier. “He stressed that illegal migration from Canada to the United States is only 0.6 per cent of the total, and Canadian fentanyl is 0.2 per cent of the total of US seizures. But we also obviously acknowledge that one fentanyl pill is one fentanyl pill to many, and that we committed to continuing to work, obviously, with American authorities, both on the issue of illegal migration and the issue of synthetic drug seizures.:
Mr. LeBlanc said premiers were keen to contribute provincial personnel and provincial assets to this work. “It was a conversation where premiers were as specific as talking about certain vehicles that could contribute, and different provincial personnel that could work with the RCMP or Canadian Border Services,” he said. “The idea of jointly working together was very encouraging for us. We’re going to incorporate many of the positive suggestions that the premiers made into finalizing our border plan, and then obviously a priority will be to share details of this plan with the incoming Trump administration and with Canadians in the coming days.”
The Ontario premier told reporters the federal government has pledged “more boots on the ground” at the border for CBSA and RCMP officers, including enhanced gear, drones, and sniffer dogs.
He said there is no doubt American tariffs are coming in January and Canada needs to be prepared.
“We need to be ready to fight,” Mr. Ford said.
Mr. Ford said Mr. Trump seems more aggressive in his tariff threats in the past. “He’s a different type of cat to say the least,” he said.
Mr. Trump has appeared to mock Mr. Trudeau, calling him “Governor Justin Trudeau” of the “Great State of Canada,” in a social media post this week — a follow-up to his reported taunt during a meeting with the Canadian leader Nov. 29 at his Mar-a-Lago residence. Fox News reported that the American leader told Mr. Trudeau that Canada should join the U.S. as its “51st state” if it hopes to avoid his trade protectionism.
The Alberta government is preparing to announce Thursday its own plan for securing the Canadians side of the border with the United States. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has talked about forming a “specialized border patrol as well as a fentanyl apprehension team.” |
