Ontario pitches energy partnership with U.S. amid Trump’s tariff, Canada annexation threat

In the face of incoming U.S. president Donald Trump’s threat to acquire Canada and impose tariffs, Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he wants to expand its energy supply both sides of the border.

“Together, let’s stop wasting time and ridiculous ideas about merging, and instead focus on efforts on restoring the pride of ‘Made in Canada’ and ‘Made in USA,’” Ford said at a Wednesday morning announcement at the Darlington Energy Complex, east of Toronto.

Ford has previously threatened to cut off Ontario-supplied electricity that is currently powering 1.5 million homes in New York, Michigan and Minnesota but only as a “last resort” should Trump push ahead with a threat to slap a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian and Mexican goods.

He struck a more collaborative tone Wednesday, pitching an energy plan dubbed “Fortress Am-Cam,” that would rely upon, and build up, Ontario’s existing nuclear infrastructure to deliver more power south of the border as it “decouples from China and its global proxies.”

The plan would see the expansion of the existing electricity grid the two countries currently share, as well as streamlining the approval process for small modular and large nuclear reactors. Ford also suggested that a cross-border working group be set up to cut red tape and secure the system against foreign interference, cyber-attacks, terrorism, and extreme weather.

“Fortress Am-Can is a renewed alliance, a beacon of security, stability and growth. It’s a vision that respects each country as independent, celebrates what we can achieve together. A true partnership where Canada and the U.S. can align on key priorities – free, fair, and balanced trade, growing economies, advancing resource development and protecting our communities,” he said.

Wednesday’s announcement comes amid Trump’s ongoing threat to impose a 25 per cent tax on Canadian and Mexican goods on the day he takes office if the two countries don’t address what he described as the illegal flow of migrants and drugs across their borders. Many economists have warned that the effect could be particularly devastating for Ontario due to the nearly $500 billion in two-way trade between the province and the U.S. last year.

Canada will ‘never be for sale,’ Ford says to Trump

On Tuesday, Trump said he was considering using “economic force” to acquire Canada as a U.S. asset and later shared a map of the two countries with the American flag covering both on social media.

Trump also referred to the U.S.-Canada border as an “artificially drawn line” at the time.

Ford, in response, said that Canada is “not for sale.”

“It will never be for sale. But I think if we work together, have an incredible trade deal, we could be the richest, wealthiest, [most] prosperous, safest jurisdiction anywhere in the world,” Ford said emphatically when asked about Trump’s annexation remark on Wednesday.

In recent weeks, Ford has made several appearances on U.S. network television touting the importance of the Canada-U.S. trade relationship, including an appearance on Fox News on Tuesday night and on CNN the night prior.

Asked why he has taken such a vocal approach, Ford referred to the current “lack of leadership” in Ottawa.

“Someone has to stand up for Ontario. Someone has to stand up for Canada,” he said, noting that he will meet with the nation’s premiers later today as chair of the Council of the Federation.

For his part, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has said there isn’t a “snowball’s chance in hell” that Canada would ever become part of the United States in response to Trump’s comments. Trudeau’s retort came after he announced Monday that he would step down as Liberal leader, but stay on as prime minister until a new leader is chosen.

Last month, the federal government announced its plan to strengthen the border, but Ford said Canada’s premiers need to see more details of the strategy.