Ford says deal with U.S. is 'very close,' despite 50% tariffs on the horizon
Premier met with U.S. ambassador to Canada earlier on Tuesday
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said he thinks the U.S. and Canada are closing in on a trade deal, as the country braces to be slapped with an additional 25 per cent tariff on Wednesday.
"The conversations are getting very close to hopefully a real positive deal happening," said Ford, speaking at Queen's Park on Tuesday.
U.S. President Donald Trump has said he will double the tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to 50 per cent on Wednesday.
Ford said he was "very disappointed" about the possible additional tariffs.
In March, Trump said he was doubling impending tariffs on steel and aluminum from Canada to 50 per cent, after Ford announced Ontario was placing a 25 per cent electricity surcharge on three states.
But after U.S Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick invited Ford and some federal ministers to Washington D.C. for a meeting, the White House confirmed it would stick to the original 25 per cent tariff plan, and Ford agreed to suspend the electricity surcharge.
"I am a man of my word," the premier said on Tuesday. "They pulled off the 25 per cent additional tariffs, we take off the surcharge … That promise is broken."
If these additional tariffs come into effect, Ford said the federal government and premiers will have a discussion about possible retaliatory measures.
"Let's see how the discussion goes, let's hope it's a positive thing," he said. "But if they keep on the 25 per cent tariffs on steel, my recommendation is slap them with a 25 per cent. We can't be kicked around any longer."
PM supports Ring of Fire road, Ford says
The premier spoke to media on Tuesday after meeting with Pete Hoekstra, the U.S. ambassador to Canada.
The meeting was "very positive," Ford said.
He said they did not discuss U.S. alcohol on Ontario shelves, but said Hoekstra brought up the subject during their previous meeting.
In March, Ford announced that the LCBO would pull 3,600 U.S.-made alcohol products from its shelves in response to U.S. tariffs, urging consumers to support Canadian brands instead.
"Its very simple. Drop your tariffs, we'll bring back the booze," the premier said on Tuesday.
Ford also continued speaking glowingly about the first ministers' meeting held in Saskatoon on Monday. The meeting was the first time Prime Minister Mark Carney met with the premiers since the federal election in the spring.
He said the premiers were focused on pitching their "wish list" of large national infrastructure projects to the federal government. Carney's government is preparing to table legislation that would fast-track projects deemed to be in the national interest, though a list of projects is not finalized yet.
Ford said the meeting was very productive and respectful.
"There might be some differences from coast to coast … but we have one goal, which is to build infrastructure projects [so] that we won't have to rely on any other country in the world," he said.
Ford said the prime minister is supportive of his pitch to build a road linking the provincial highway network to the Ring of Fire, a mineral deposit in the treaty lands of northern Ontario that is only accessible by ice road in the winter or plane during the rest of the year.
"He's all in. We're building that road, one way or another," Ford said. "It's the number one priority for us."
Ford has previously identified the Ring of Fire as a "special economic zone" under the province's controversial Bill 5. The sweeping proposed legislation would give the government power to exempt companies or projects from complying with provincial laws or regulations in these identified zones.
The bill has sparked significant backlash, particularly from First Nations across the province who say the bill violates their treaty rights. On Monday, several hundred First Nations protested the bill on the front lawn of Queen's Park.
Ford continued defending the legislation on Tuesday, saying "many" First Nations leaders in the province support building the road to the Ring of Fire.
He said the province will work as partners with First Nations communities, which will speed up the duty to consult processes.
"We can't take two or three years for duty to consult. We need to move forward," he said.
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With files from The Canadian Press and Darren Major