Premier Ford plans to retaliate despite Trump delaying tariffs until April

Premier Doug Ford says he’s still going ahead with his retaliatory plans after Trump said he would delay his tariffs until April.

U.S. President Donald Trump says he’ll delay some tariffs targeting Canada and Mexico for a month, as long as the items are covered by the USMCA Free Trade Treaty.

Some people were hoping for, and possibly expecting a one month pause on some tariffs, however not everyone is happy with the president’s decision.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday, “this is an absolutely unjustifiable trade war launched by the Americans, and that is what we are going to continue to stay true to.”

Trudeau was making a daycare announcement, but he was questioned on tariffs and his phone call with President Donald Trump Wednesday, and what it was like to negotiate with him in what has been called a “heated conversation.”

“I’ve had 10 years of Donald Trump: one historic pandemic, inflation, war in Ukraine, as the middle east is facing [a] difficult situation; these have been complicated times – this is the job I signed up for,” he said.

On Wednesday Trump said tariffs would be paused on all auto manufacturing and on Thursday he went a step further.

The U.S. President signed executive actions that delay tariffs for nearly one month, on products covered by the USMCA trade agreement.

About 50 per cent of imports from Mexico and 36 per cent of imports from Canada are covered under the agreement.

Premier Doug Ford appeared on Fox News, reacting to the news of the delay, saying he still plans to go forward with his tariffs.

“We’re going to put a 25 per cent tariff on electricity coming from Ontario to Michigan, New York and Minnesota,” he said. “And isn’t this a shame – it’s an absolute mess.”

Despite the tariff’s delay announcement, it appears steel and aluminum tariffs are still happening next week.

In response to the American delay, the federal government says it will not proceed with the second wave of tariffs – on $125 billion of U.S. products – until April 2.

As for Ontario, a spokesperson for Premier Ford confirms that U.S. alcohol products will not be returning to LCBO store shelves following Thursday’s decision by U.S. President Trump.

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