Ontario Premier Doug Ford dropped a bombshell Tuesday at Queen’s Park, revealing that U.S. trade officials are gearing up to unleash a “global tariff” on the world starting April 2. Speaking to reporters, Ford shared insights from a high-stakes meeting in Washington, D.C. last week with U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Canadian federal officials, warning that Canada must hustle to secure exemptions or brace for impact.
“They’re putting a tariff on the whole world come April 2,” Ford declared. “Our job? Make sure Canada’s first in line to dodge the hit. We told them straight: this hurts Americans just as much as it hurts us.” Ford’s office later clarified that these “reciprocal tariffs”—long threatened by U.S. President Donald Trump—are the backbone of the plan, targeting trading partners globally.
The revelation follows Ford’s strategic pause on a bold 25% surcharge he’d threatened on Ontario’s electricity exports to three U.S. states—a move that snagged him the D.C. meeting. “No surcharge, no meeting,” Ford quipped. “We’d still be trading punches otherwise.” The pause paid off, giving Canada a front-row seat to understand U.S. intentions.
Ford painted an optimistic yet cautious picture, suggesting Canada could climb to “tier one” status among U.S. allies if diplomacy prevails. “They’ll realize they need our aluminum, nickel, critical minerals, and autos,” he said. “We’re ready to work through this.”
The U.S. has kept details fuzzy on its April 2 tariff rollout, including whether a paused 25% levy on Canadian and Mexican goods will roar back to life. Ford believes the tariffs won’t stop at North America—they’ll stretch “right across the border” worldwide. Still, he’s banking on Canada’s leverage as a key supplier to soften the blow.
The premier’s electricity gambit hasn’t gone unnoticed. Trump recently jabbed at Ford from the Oval Office, warning, “You shouldn’t play with electricity.” Lutnick echoed the sentiment on CBS, defending Trump’s tariff threats as a counterpunch to Ontario’s energy tax idea. Yet, Ford says Lutnick dialed back the heat in their meeting, dismissing invasion talk and Canada-as-51st-state rhetoric as “nonsense.”
“I’ve seen him tone it down since,” Ford noted. “I’m holding back too—don’t want to rock the boat while we negotiate.”
With Ontario’s D.C. rep, David Patterson, burning the midnight oil with U.S. counterparts as recently as Monday, talks are ongoing. But Ford isn’t ruling out a counterstrike if the tariffs land. “Dollar for dollar, tariff for tariff—we won’t roll over,” he vowed. “It’ll sting both sides, but we’ll stay united and keep fighting.”
As April 2 looms, Ford’s message is clear: Canada’s ready to play hardball—or handshake—to protect its place in the global trade game.