U.S. President Donald Trump slapped Canada with a 10 per cent tariff on all aluminum products imported into the United States yesterday, and Ontario Premier Doug Ford is simply not having it.
When announcing the new tariff Thursday, Trump accused Canada of regularly taking advantage of the U.S. and said tariffs would be coming for steel products as well. Now, Ford is vowing to "come back swinging like they've never seen before."
Speaking during his daily press briefing Friday morning, Ford expressed his disappointment with Trump's decision to come after Canada when we're their "closest trading partner" and "number one customer."
Ontario Premier Doug Ford disappointed with President Trump's decision to slap tariffs on Canadian goods - especially in the midst of the pandemic
— Natasha Fatah (@NatashaFatah) August 7, 2020
Ford urges Ontarians/Canadians to buy products made locally. #MadeinCanada #cdnpoli #onpoli pic.twitter.com/mS6Ba4P0Zx
"I just have to say how disappointed I am with President Trump right now. We're their number one trading partner in the world," he said.
"We buy more goods from the United States than China, Japan and the UK combined. And who does this? In times like this, who tries to go after your closest allies, your closest trading partner, your number one customer in the entire world? Who would do this? Well President Trump did this."
Ford said he's strongly encouraging Canada's deputy prime minister to put retaliatory tariffs on "as many goods as possible" in response, and he also told Ontarians to go out and make sure to buy products that were manufactured in Ontario or elsewhere in Canada.
I'm waiting to listen to #Canada respond to trump* on the tariffs by @cafreeland. @fordnation gave a scathing response. I don't particularly like him but on this he is right on!
— 🇺🇸 OneOfTheSmiths 🇨🇦 (@OneOfTheSmiths) August 7, 2020
"Folks, we're an economic powerhouse... We can compete against anyone. We have the brightest, the smartest people anywhere in the world. Go out there and buy Ontario-made products," Ford said.
"We're up against a real battle right now. It's us versus them, and I've always said I love the American people. But right now, for the president to come and attack us during these times, through a pandemic when we need everyone's support, is totally unacceptable."
This guy @fordnation disgusted by @realDonaldTrump and his tariffs during a pandemic but he’s vehemently calling for ‘retaliatory tariffs’ in return - eye for an eye makes the whole world blind - y’all only hurting the people 🙄
— Amar @twal (@AmarTechie) August 7, 2020
Ford also said he intends to ensure that manufacturers start putting "Ontario-made" logos on all products made within the province, but he added that customers should look on the back of products when shopping to see where they're manufactured until that happens.
"It's just unacceptable, what President Trump did. We're their closest allies. We're supposed to be part of the big family and he comes and backstabs us like this? Unacceptable," Ford continued.
"We are an economic powerhouse, we're their number one customer. I'm a businessman, and I would never go after my number one customer and slap them in the face like President Trump did to the Canadian public and Ontario. We will come back swinging like they've never seen before."
by Mira Miller via blogTO
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