Ford signals an early Ontario election coming despite reprieve from Trump's tariff threat
Premier says he needs a new mandate for economic fight ahead
Despite U.S. President Donald Trump's apparent decision to delay imposing tariffs on Canadian goods, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Monday he believes a trade war is coming — and that he needs a "clear mandate" from voters to wage it.
Ford's comments to reporters at Queen's Park following Trump's inauguration were the clearest indication yet he intends to call an election in the province, after months of fuelling speculation of an early vote.
"Anything that was uncertain today just has more uncertainty. [Trump] has said he is going to be applying tariffs across the board, and I feel he is going to be targeting Canada, specifically Ontario, and it's very concerning," Ford said.
It was initially expected that punishing tariffs of up to 25 per cent on Canadian goods would be included in the roughly 100 executive orders Trump plans to immediately sign. But multiple U.S. media outlets reported early Monday that Trump will not move to impose the tariffs on the first day of his new administration, offering Canada somewhat of a reprieve for the time being.
During his inaugural address, Trump targeted Mexico, saying he would declare an emergency at America's southern border, but did not mention Canada or the northern border.
But a U.S. official has indicated the president will tell federal agencies to study trade issues, including alleged unfair trade and currency practices by Canada, Mexico and China. Trump also spoke of boosting American manufacturing, in particular building more cars.
Ford said he is convinced Trump wants to "take jobs away from Ontarians" and undermine future investment in the province.
"These are negotiations that are going to go on for quite some time right now and make no mistake about it: he's coming for us," Ford said. "I need a clear mandate from the people of Ontario. Not for tomorrow, or the next day, for four years of dealing with our American friends."
Ford did not answer when asked about the exact timing of an early election.The premier has said previously his government estimates U.S. tariffs could cost Ontario up to 500,000 jobs, and that a massive spending package of "tens of billions of dollars" would be necessary to support industries and workers impacted by a trade war.
Ontario's opposition parties have repeatedly said they would support emergency spending by Ford's Progressive Conservative majority. They've criticized Ford's apparent plan to take voters to the polls more than a year out from the next fixed election date, saying it would only create more political uncertainty amid turmoil on Parliament Hill. They've also pointed out there were mounting signs the premier might call an early election months before Trump threatened to impose tariffs.
Opposition leaders echoed those sentiments Monday. NDP Leader Marit Stiles said Ford "needs to focus on the 500,000 jobs at risk, not his own.
"The moment we're in calls for unity of purpose. We need to stay focused on what we can do here in Ontario to support every sector at risk and defend every single job in the face of this tariff threat," she said on X, formerly Twitter.
Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie said Ford should "spare Ontarians the double talk.
"Complaining about Donald Trump fuelling uncertainty while refusing to rule out an early election yourself? That's the real chaos," she said in her own social media post.
LCBO will remove U.S. products if tariffs are imposed
Earlier Monday in a speech to the Rural Ontario Municipal Association, Ford said removing American products from LCBO outlets would be among the provincial-level retaliatory measures he would pursue as part of a wider trade war.
"I've sent a direction to the LCBO, that if these tariffs come, to clear off every bit of U.S. alcohol off the shelves," Ford said.
Previous reports from U.S. media outlets have suggested the import levies could be rolled out in phases, so as to not spike inflation or the price of gasoline. Economists have forecast that a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian oil and gas exported to the U.S. could raise prices at the pumps there by as much as 75 cents per gallon.
Ford said in his speech the tariffs would be "disastrous for both Canadian and American workers."
For Canada's part, the federal government says it is preparing for an initial round of retaliatory tariffs on some $37 billion of goods that could be expanded depending on the Trump administration's approach.
Ford's comments Monday afternoon mark a shift in his public messaging. He's spent the last several weeks pitching his idea for "Fortress Am-Can," a renewed economic and security alliance between Canada and the U.S. that would see expanded trade in goods like energy and critical minerals.
In speeches and appearances on American cable news programs, Ford has emphasized a "better together" approach, stressing the deep economic and cultural ties between the two countries.
But he's also said he supports retaliatory trade measures at the federal level if the threatened tariffs are imposed, a move that has led to divisions between Alberta and the rest of the provinces and territories.
Ontario also sent a delegation that includes politicians, business leaders and union executives to D.C. for the inauguration with an express mission to push back on the potential tariffs.
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With files from The Canadian Press