ford eyes ontario electricity exports as way to ’hit back’ against u.s. tariffs
while touting his party’s plan to steer ontario through...
4 minute read
ontario premier doug ford speaks at the liuna 625 training centre in windsor on wednesday, february 26, 2025.
dan janisse
/
windsor star
while touting his party’s plan to steer ontario through u.s. tariffs during a windsor stop on the eve of election day, progressive conservative leader doug ford defended local pc candidates who were absent from debates and media requests throughout the campaign.
“i would rather have our candidates door-knocking,” ford told reporters at a media event wednesday held at the liuna training centre in windsor.
“i’ve been in this game for a long time. you get all your party members there, and you listen to a debate. you know what the best debate is? when tony’s (windsor west pc candidate tony francis) out there, knocking on doors, three to 400 a day, knocking and getting signs, getting support, and getting people to vote. so, that’s the answer for tony.
“it’s an unfair question to pose to a campaign. i’m the one who makes that decision.”
ford was flanked by pc candidates from three local ridings, including andrew dowie (windsor-tecumseh), anthony leardi (essex), and francis, vying to unseat ontario new democrat party incumbent lisa gretzky in windsor west — the only riding in the region not represented by the tories going into this election.
reporters attempted to get a comment from francis during wednesday’s event, without success. still, ford said he is optimistic about securing the windsor west riding.
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“we’re showing a lot of love all around ontario, but nothing like windsor,” he said.
“we’re going to continue attracting opportunities here, businesses here. we’re going to build infrastructure here.”
ontario premier doug ford displays his “never 51” hockey jersey at the liuna 625 training centre in windsor on wednesday, february 26, 2025, a reference to president donald trump’s demand that canada become the 51st state.
dan janisse
/
windsor star
asked whether a re-elected pc government would take back responsibility for the e.c. row expressway — a pledge made in windsor earlier this week by ndp leader marit stiles — ford instead pointed to the province’s ongoing infrastructure investments in the city.
“we’re investing tens of millions of dollars for lauzon parkway and banwell and other infrastructure across windsor. so, we’re taking a massive burden off backs of municipalities, but you couldn’t ask for a better partner than mayor drew dilkens — absolute champion.
“you know, he supports me. he endorses me. i consider him a friend, and we’ll do everything we can.”
on tuesday, ford was musing about making americans pay more for the electricity ontario sends to the united states, in response to any levies u.s. president donald trump imposes on canadian goods and services.
“we’re reviewing the cost of electricity we’re sending down there. and if he puts tariffs on anything in canada or ontario, they’re getting a tariff on their electricity,” ford said at an earlier campaign stop in ottawa.
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“and then we’ll go to the next stage and we’ll wait to see what happens from there.”
ford gave no further details on the proposed measure, or how it would fit in with his previously announced plan to cut off energy exports to the u.s. should trump move forward with sweeping tariffs now set to kick in next week.
trump said monday the tariffs, which were pushed back to march 4 after canada agreed to introduce new security measures at the border, are “going forward on time, on schedule.”
his executive order calls for 25-per cent tariffs on all canadian imports, with a lower 10-per cent levy on canadian energy.
ford said tuesday that he doesn’t want a tariff war, “but if someone comes in and starts attacking our families, attacking our businesses and attacking everything we do in canada, that’s it, i’m full in there.
“i’m in the ring and i’ll do whatever it takes to make sure that we hit back and they feel the pain like we feel the pain.”
ford has made economic stability in the face of possible tariffs the centrepiece of his campaign, arguing he needs a stronger mandate to navigate the next four years of a trump presidency.
but the other party leaders have called the snap election unnecessary given that the progressive conservatives already held a majority and would have received support for stimulus measures.
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liberal leader bonnie crombie said tuesday that ford should have diversified ontario’s economy and worked to eliminate interprovincial trade barriers a long time ago, once again accusing him of calling the election for personal gain.
asked whether she would, as premier, leverage ontario’s electricity exports in a potential trade war, crombie said it’s important to remember how integrated the province’s energy grid is with states across the border.
“it’s something we have to look at very closely, the impact of our energy grid,” she said at a campaign stop in toronto on tuesday.
crombie spent most of her news conference fielding questions about her endorsement of federal liberal leadership candidate mark carney, two days before the provincial election.
she said the presumed front-runner is “the right person for this moment in time.”
“he is a leader that can stand up to donald trump and speak with some authority and experience on tariffs,” she said.
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