Trudeau says Canada will respond to U.S. tariffs as Ontario’s premier says Trump ’declared war’

Canada's leaders confident in avoiding Trump's tariffs, but Ontario premier predicts inevitable trade war with U.S. looming.

Canada’s outgoing Prime Minister and the leader of the country’s oil rich province of Alberta are both confident Canada can avoid the 25% tariffs President Donald Trump says he will impose on February 1, 2025.

Justin Trudeau and Danielle Smith will argue that Canada is the energy super power that has the oil and critical minerals that America needs to feed what Mr. Trump vows will be a booming U.S. economy.

But Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, the manufacturing and automobile hub of Canada, said a trade war is 100% coming.

Mr. Trump “declared an economic war on Canada,” Ford said in an interview with The Associated Press. “And we are going to use every tool in our tool box to defend our economy.”

Mr. Trudeau said Canada will retaliate if needed but noted Canada has been here before during the first Trump presidency when they successfully renegotiated the free trade deal.

Ford said as soon as Mr. Trump applies tariffs he will instruct Ontario’s liquor control board to pull all American-made alcohol from shelves.

“We are the largest purchaser of alcohol in the world. And I'm going to encourage all the premiers to do the exact same,” Ford said, adding there will be a dollar-for-dollar tariff retaliation on American goods entering Canada.