Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he “can’t wait” for midterm elections in the United States, after a Supreme Court ruling on tariffs did little to alleviate trade pressure on the provincial economy.
A ruling from America’s top court on Friday concluded President Donald Trump’s so-called “reciprocal” tariffs and duties on Canada related to fentanyl were unlawful, without touching sector-specific tariffs.
Tariffs imposed on steel, aluminum and autos, known as Section 232, are unaffected by the ruling. An additional 15 per cent tariff, which the president announced Saturday, largely does not impact Canadian products.
“The Supreme Court hasn’t changed, thankfully, anything here in Ontario or in Canada,” Premier Ford told reporters. “We’re still keeping an eye on Section 232, but don’t make no mistake about it. President Trump still has a lot of tools.”
Despite the broad strike-down of Trump’s tariffs, the levies that most impact Ontario remain in place.
Trump has imposed a series of other, sector-specific tariffs on several industries using Section 232 of the U.S. Trade Expansion Act, which allows the president to address “excessive” foreign imports deemed a risk to national security.
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The law requires the U.S. Commerce Department to investigate those imports and reach a conclusion justifying the tariffs, which can take months to complete.
Section 232 tariffs have been imposed on steel, aluminum and copper at a rate of 50 per cent; automobiles, heavy trucks and auto parts not compliant with CUSMA at a 25 per cent rate; and some furniture, kitchen cabinets and vanities at 25 per cent.
The auto and steel tariffs have already had major impacts on the provincial economy. Multiple vehicle investments in Ontario have been paused or suspended, while Algoma Steel laid off more than 1,000 workers last year.
A 10 per cent tariff was also imposed on softwood lumber under Section 232, on top of existing and separate anti-dumping duties.
The premier appeared again on CNN on Monday as part of his drive to convince American voters and elected officials to lobby on Canada’s and Ontario’s behalf.
It’s a strategy the provincial government has been pursuing for more than a year without yet seeing movement on tariffs. Ford has cancelled a contract with Elon Musk’s Starlink, removed American alcohol from the LCBO and visited Washington D.C.
The premier has said the hope of that strategy is to work around Trump’s unpredictability.
“It’s very challenging right now,” he said. “I just sit back some days, and I’m not the only one, everyone in the world sits back, (wondering) how can one person, one man create so much turmoil around the world? Not just here in Canada, around the globe. It’s pretty, pretty staggering. So, I can’t wait for the midterms.”
— with files from Global News’ Sean Boynton
For the past 80 years no US president’s party has won the midterm’s, Republican or Democrat. Ford thinks he’s smart but in reality he’s as dumb as they come.
It’s up to Canadian politicians to look after Canada’s interests not the people or officials of the USA.
Believe me I know all about stress. You should see the walls of my trailer. Holes everywhere the shape of my fists. Now I’ve found I can release the stress into a fine man’s azz. Just ejaculate it all away. It’s still hard to get Trump out of my head though. There’s nothing much more to my life.
One look in Trump’s eyes tells the story. Thats a man who is in pain. Not just the physical kind either. His mind is eating him up. The stress of always being right and perfect. Always being the best at everything and pretty much a god has to be harsh. The war in his mind must be atrocious. Seems like that for most acolytes who follow him.
Trump’s only chance at maintaining a super majority is if there are no midterms. Anyone who feels it’s beyond this moron to blatantly cheat is naive.
Doug Ford should look at his own polls and Resign.Amd foremost hr should look at the fact that Ontario is more than the GTA. I hope he loses next election.And btw it is not Ford Nation. It’s called Ontario
Half of us can’t stand him.
I dont understand how some of this derisive ugly commenting gets through. Not a fan of Ford but I’m even less a fan of Trump. The sooner the walls close in and the folks with shotguns close in, the better. Time to get rid of the problem.
( “It’s very challenging right now,” he said. “I just sit back some days, and I’m not the only one,”)
No harder truth has passed the lips of a Canadian politician
Just a useless pile of garbage and maybe even the dumber brother . Ontario should split with anything east and just go away far away.
Ford should look at home and enjoy driving his chinese ev, he runs trump down but look at himself, carney runs over him like he doesn’t exist.
The orange snot rag will soon be resting with wifey number one.
Obviously I’m joking about Doug looking slim. He’s a huge fat sack of sh it. His dead coke head brother is still smarter than him. He’s even being investigated by the RCMP for the green belt affair. Maybe he can pour another bottle of Crown on the pavement. Sure, that’ll save his azz. lol
Ford can follow Trump out the door
I wonder if Dan had a point to make. Doug Ford looks a lot slimmer and smarter than “The Donald”. At least Doug isn’t a convicted felon known to have had “relations” with a porn star.
You losers in Ontario are screwed with that fat idiot Ford. lol