Ontario’s premier says trade war would be ‘devastating’ for US and Canada

Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed firm opposition to President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada this weekend, saying that the result of a trade war could be harmful to both countries.

“Everyone’s feeling bullied by President Trump, and this is the worst thing you could do for the American economy,” Ford told ABC News’ “This Week” co-anchor Martha Raddatz. “I just don’t see the purpose. It’s absolutely backwards.”

The U.S. and Canada — two usually close allies — are once again locked in a trade war. Trump announced he would add 50% tariffs to many Canadian goods after trade talks between the two countries fell apart. Canada responded, adding retaliatory tariffs on many U.S. goods starting Sept. 8.

The U.S. and Canada have long had a strong trade relationship, as the U.S. is Canada’s largest trading partner. More than 70% of total exports in Canada go to the U.S., and nearly 60% of imports to Canada come from the U.S.

One big reason for the trade deficit is oil: of the crude oil the U.S. imports from other countries, 60% comes from Canada, Prime Minister Mark Carney said.

But over the weekend, the U.S. and Venezuela reached a deal for the U.S. to take a majority stake in more than 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil reserves.

Raddatz asked Ford about the deal and whether it gives the U.S. leverage.

“Canada makes up 60% of the United States’ crude oil imports. Does this give him a bigger bargaining chip?” Raddatz asked.

“Well, you know something? That’s going to be up to President Trump. Who do you want to deal with? An unstable government like Venezuela, or do you want to deal with your No. 1 trading partner, your No. 1 ally?” Ford said. 

Last week, Trump also said he would double the auto tariffs on Canada starting Jan. 1, 2027, writing on social media that “Canada will be treated like a state no longer.”

Ford said that if the auto tariffs were doubled, the result would be “devastating” for both countries.

“It’d be devastating on both countries, but it’d be definitely devastating on the U.S. We’re the largest purchaser of vehicles in the entire world off the U.S. … and they’re already seeing the effect,” Ford said. “A tariff on Canada is nothing more than a tax on American people, and it’s probably the worst move he could ever do.”

Since the trade war began, the attacks and insults have extended beyond trade. After bashing Canadian leaders on social media, Trump signed an executive order last week renaming Lake Ontario — one of the five Great Lakes which is in both the U.S. and Canada — as “Lake America.” Ford called that move “disappointing.”

“It was like something out of ‘Saturday Night Live’ when he signed documents saying change to Lake America. No one’s going to call it Lake of America. It’s been Lake Ontario for hundreds of years. It’s going to continue being Lake Ontario, and it’s just so, so disappointing,” Ford said.

Despite the back-and-forth criticism, Ford made it clear that he loves the American people, just not their government.

“I love the American people. Canadians love the American people,” Ford said. “We differentiate between the great American people and the president.”