Ford says it's 'positive' that Canada among few countries exempt from Trump's new tariffs

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says it's "positive" that Canada was not on the list of countries that will face new reciprocal tariffs announced on Wednesday by U.S. President Donald Trump.

"The positive thing that I saw was we weren't on that list," he told reporters at Queen's Park. 

Canada was left off a lengthy list Trump unveiled this afternoon showing the tariff levels most other countries will face starting Thursday.

"We weren't on page one, we weren't on page two, we weren't on page three, ourselves and Mexico. We're going to stay tuned," said Ford. "Let's hope that there's some positive news coming."

Ford said he thinks the relationship between Canada and the U.S. has made a difference.

"I've always believed in that, in business and government, you have to build a relationship. I believe we have built it."

Ford said the Ontario government will be in contact with the U.S. administration and is working closely with the federal government. He said he was on the phone with federal Liberal Leader Mark Carney Wednesday morning, speaking about the situation.

'He calls it Liberation Day. I call it Termination Day': Ford

A fact sheet from Trump's office says goods imported under the existing continental trade deal, known as CUSMA, will not face tariffs, while those outside the deal will see a 10 per cent tariff.

Trump also said he is going ahead with previously announced 25 per cent tariffs on automobile imports Thursday.

Earlier in appearances on U.S. news shows on Wednesday, Ford had warned of the negative impacts of tariffs on both sides of the border.

"He calls it Liberation Day. I call it Termination Day, because people are going to be losing their jobs across the U.S.," Ford said on CNBC.

"You can't just all of a sudden put tariffs on every part and every widget that comes across the border.

"[Trump] believes he is supporting Americans. He said he was going to create jobs, create wealth, reduce inflation — it's worked the total opposite."

Carney told reporters on Parliament Hill that the government will counter Trump's auto tariffs and bring in supports for impacted workers.

"We are going to fight these tariffs with countermeasures. We are going to protect our workers," he said, though he didn't offer further details.

"In a crisis, it's important to come together and it's essential to act with purpose and with force," he said.

As for the global reciprocal tariffs that Canada has appeared to dodge, Carney said they will "fundamentally change the international trading system."

Stiles, Crombie express concern for Ontario workers

Ontario Opposition Leader Marit Stiles said in a post on X on Wednesday that Thursday will be a "bad day" for many Canadians, including auto and steel workers, because they will face "fresh new uncertainties" with the tariffs.

"We need smart strategies to support workers, families, communities and to deal with the ripple effects," Stiles said in the post. "We stand ready to work together with all levels of government, labour unions and industry to protect Ontario jobs and come out of this stronger."

Ontario Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie told reporters at Queen's Park on Wednesday that she is thinking about families of auto workers in such places as Windsor, Oshawa, Cambridge and Oakville. She said auto workers may be worried about losing their jobs with the tariffs on all foreign-made automobiles.

"We've reached out to the premier and other opposition parties and offered to put together a Team Ontario approach. I think it's time that we all come together and coordinate our responses. We believe in a strong Made-in-Canada approach," Crombie said.

U.S. dislikes Canadian restrictions on dairy, Trump says

In his afternoon speech, Trump referred to Canada's restrictions on dairy imports. Canada's supply management system relies on the control of imports and enables the dairy, poultry and egg sectors to limit the supply of their products to what Canadians are expected to consume.

Under both Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) and the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) with Pacific Rim dairy exporters like New Zealand, Canadian dairy processors effectively control what enters their market.

"We don't like it and it's not fair," Trump said of Canada's trade protections. "At what point do we say, 'You've got to work for yourselves?'"

The White House has insisted that the tariffs will achieve several simultaneous goals: raise revenues, pay for tax cuts and force companies to build in the U.S. The stock market doesn't appear to be convinced however — it has lost all its gains since the American election.

Canada's auto sector to take the biggest hit

One Canada-U.S. trade consultant said Canada fared better than most countries today. But it's cold comfort for certain sectors.

"That's a huge amount of pain for Canada. And you will see a huge amount of restructuring and realignment in the North American auto sector," said Eric Miller, the Canadian-born head of the Rideau Potomac consultancy in Washington.

One industry player put it even more bluntly, in a social media post, predicting an industry standstill within days, and not just in Canada.

"The. Auto. Tariff. Package. Will. Shut. Down. The. Auto. Sector. In. The. USA. And. In. Canada," Flavio Volpe, head of Canada's auto-parts lobby, in a post on X.

"Don't be distracted. 25% tariffs are 4 times the 6/7% profit margins of all the companies. Math, not art."

Other Canadian sectors facing large tariffs are steel, aluminum, energy products and anything not traded under the rules of CUSMA.

Estimates range for how many goods that covers. But it appears more than half of Canada's exports to the U.S. may now face tariffs.

Trade war puts relations at risk, Toronto mayor says

At a virtual gathering of several U.S. and Canadian mayors from the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative Wednesday, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said that Toronto does $123 billion in trade with the U.S. each year.

"Unfortunately, President Trump's trade war is putting it all at risk," Chow said. "People on both sides of the border … are feeling anxious — they're worried about their jobs and the impact this trade war will have on their cost of groceries, gas, homes, cars, and it really doesn't have to be that way."

Chow called on on Trump to "end these threats once and for all."

"Let us not hurt each other," she said. "We have a shared commitment to look out for each other, to make sure our communities stay connected, to work together despite these challenges."