'China is the problem': Ford says now is not the time for U.S. to 'disrupt' trade with higher tariffs

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says Canada is not to blame for America’s economic woes and instead is pointing the finger at China for shipping and distributing “cheap parts” through Mexico.

“I’ve talked to so many governors, and congresspeople, and senators and never once did they say Canada is the problem,” he said during a interview on Monday evening with CNN’s Erin Burnett.

“I’ll tell you who the problem is: China is the problem. China shipping in cheap parts, putting them through Mexico. Mexico slapping on a ”Made in Mexico" sticker on and shipping up through the U.S. and Canada. (It’s) costing American and Canadian jobs."

Ford said the way to address this issue is through a bi-lateral deal with the United States, not higher tariffs.

Ford’s remarks come in response to President-elect Donald Trump’s recent threats to impose a blanket 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods imported into the U.S., starting on Jan. 20, his first day in office.

Trump has said the only way to avoid the tariff is if Canada stems the flow of drugs and migrants at the border. He also wants Canada to commit to two per cent NATO defence spending.

For weeks, Trump has also mocked Canada by referring to the prime minister as “Governor Justin Trudeau” and calling Canada “the 51st state.”

In a recent post on X, Trump’s son Eric also shared a photoshopped image of his father purchasing Canada on Amazon, along with Greenland and the Panama Canal.

Earlier today, Ford said Canada would buy Alaska and two other states in response to Trump’s frequent taunts about treating the country as a U.S. state.

“You know something, to the president I’ll make him a counteroffer; How about if we buy Alaska and throw in Minnesota and Minneapolis at the same time?” the premier said Monday while speaking with reporters about the threat of looming tariffs and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s announcement that he’ll step down.

He later told CNN said that those comments were made in jest.

Canadian officials, while taking the tariff threat seriously, have mostly shrugged off Trump’s insults.

Ford, for his part, has mostly referred to Trump as having a sense of humour and liking to joke when asked about the comments.

But on Monday he apparently felt enough was enough.

“It’s not realistic,” he said when asked about the threat to annex Canada.

“I know he (Trump) likes making these comments and he likes joking around. I take that seriously. He may be joking, but under my watch, that will never, ever happen.”  

Speaking on CNN, Ford reiterated his comments about Trump’s “sense of humour” and his thoughts on the suggestion not being “realistic.”

“We’re a sovereign country. We’re proud Canadians, just like Americans are proud. What I want to do is make sure that we build a fortress Am-Can, making sure that we’re the strongest and the richest, and the most prosperous two countries in the entire world,” he said.

“We have a tremendous amount to offer the United States as we have over the years, no matter if it’s our energy or our critical minerals. And that’s what we want to do, we want to make sure we’re stronger together...”

Ford’s earlier comments on the threat to deeply increase tariffs on goods from Canada came as he reacted to Trudeau’s announcement Monday that he will step down as prime minister after a Liberal leadership race is held to replace him.

Ford said that despite the political turmoil, he expects federal officials to remain focused on the tariff threat.

“We need an all-hands-on-deck approach. We need the prime minister to continue doing his job,” he said, adding that if the tariffs, which have been described by some experts an “existential threat” to the Canadian economy, do go ahead, then Canada will have to retaliate.

“If they do move forward, we need to make sure the federal government has a strong plan.”

“The prime minister said he would sit down with all the premiers for a face-to-face meeting. I still want to hold him to that promise. He still will be prime minister for a month, maybe two months. That has to be his number one focus,” Ford said.

Not the time to ‘disrupt’ two-way trade with U.S., says Ford

CNN’s Erin Burnett said Trump is “dangling (tariffs) over (Canada’s) head” so that he can get the country to do whatever he wants.

Ford, however, said that Canada is cooperating with Trump’s two requests regarding tariffs, adding that now is not the time to “disrupt” the $1.3 billion in two-way trade the country does with the U.S.

“We’re the largest trading partner. We ship down 4.3 million barrels of oil every single day. We send electricity down to the U.S., critical minerals. These are all areas and different sectors that Americans need and why disrupt that,” he said.

“We’re two greatest countries, strongest allies in the world, friends, so we need to get through this and start talking about trade.”

Trump also reacted to Trudeau’s resignation Monday, suggesting it was a sign the country can’t cut it on its own and doubling down on the annexation idea.

“Many people in Canada LOVE being the 51st State. The United States can no longer suffer the massive Trade Deficits and Subsidies that Canada needs to stay afloat. Justin Trudeau knew this, and resigned,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

“If Canada merged with the U.S., there would be no Tariffs, taxes would go way down, and they would be TOTALLY SECURE from the threat of the Russian and Chinese Ships that are constantly surrounding them. Together, what a great Nation it would be!!!”

With files from The Canadian Press