‘Ready to fight,’ Canada’s largest province threatens to block energy exports to US

Canada’s largest province is threatening to block energy exports to US in response to President-elect Donald Trump’s tariff warning. In a recent social media post, the GOP leader declared he would impose a 25 per cent tariff on all goods coming into the US from Canada. Trump says these tariffs are retaliation to Canada’s failure in securing their parts of the border from fentanyl traffickers and illegal migrants. Ontario Premier Doug Ford has said we will cut off “their energy” to protect Canadian interests.

“We will go to the extent of cutting off their energy — going down to Michigan, going down to New York State and over to Wisconsin. I don’t want this to happen, but my number one job is to protect Ontarians and Canadians as a whole,” Ford said during a meeting of premiers called by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Parliament Hill Wednesday (Dec 11).

The Ontario premier added that Canada needed “to be ready, ready to fight”. “This fight is coming 100 percent on Jan 20 or Jan 21.”

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While Trump has been accusing Canada of not doing enough to rein in illegal migration, Ottawa maintains the risk regarding drug and human trafficking is much lower on the northern border.

Can Canada afford to impose sanctions on US?

Threats and warnings aside, if Ottawa blocks energy exports to the US, both neighbours stand to lose a lot. It is to be noted that US consumes over 97 per cent of Canada’s crude oil exports.

Moreover, US sources its 60 per cent of all oil imports from Canada only. Any hindrance in this trade can significantly weigh down both economies.

But that has not stopped Canada Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland from compiling a list of items that Ottawa can target in retaliatory response.

According to Ford, Freeland and all premiers are “going to put our list together”.

(With inputs from agencies)