Ontario Premier Doug Ford has threatened to turn off its supply of power to the United States if President-Elect Donald Trump makes good on threats to impost 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian exports to the U.S.
But the premiers of Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador are urging cooler heads to prevail.
Premier Andrew Furey says he has no desire to enter into a trade war with the United States.
“From Newfoundland and Labrador’s perspective, we have no interest in stopping the flow of oil and gas — our incredibly valuable and now well-sought-after world-class oil and gas — to the United States, nor do we now have any interest in stopping export of any electrons that could be produced in Labrador to the northeastern seaboard.”
Quebec Premier Francois Legault, who met with Trump in Paris last week, agrees a trade war is not the answer.
“(Trump) told me very clearly that we can avoid those tariffs if we do what needs to be done with the borders” to stem the flow of illegal immigrants into the U.S. from Canada, said Legault.
“I think the best choice now for Prime Minister Trudeau is to table a plan with money, with the number of people, to better secure the border.”
Furey, who spoke with New England governors earlier this week, acknowledged there is a “significant degree of concern on both sides of the border” when it comes to the prospect of tariffs.
