Ontario Construction News staff writer
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has thrown his support behind Prime Minister Mark Carney’s decision to suspend trade negotiations with the United States, calling for Canada to respond forcefully after new U.S. tariffs took effect Saturday.
“Team Canada needs to stand together more united than ever before,” Ford said in a social media post late Friday. “The prime minister has my full support for a strong response — Ontario Construction News staff writer
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has thrown his support behind Prime Minister Mark Carney’s decision to suspend trade negotiations with the United States, calling for Canada to respond forcefully after new U.S. tariffs took effect Saturday.
“Team Canada needs to stand together more united than ever before,” Ford said in a social media post late Friday. “The prime minister has my full support for a strong response — tariff for tariff, dollar for dollar.”
Ford’s comments came after Carney suspended negotiations with Washington shortly before a midnight deadline, saying last-minute changes proposed by the United States were “unfair, uneconomic” and raised questions about whether any agreement reached could be relied upon.
Speaking to CP24, Ford described the escalating dispute as an “economic war” and said Canada needs a united response from governments, businesses and workers.
“It was a bad deal,” Ford said, defending Carney’s decision not to accept the proposed agreement.
The latest tariffs add to growing uncertainty for Canadian businesses that depend on access to the U.S. market, including manufacturers and construction suppliers that could face higher costs and further supply chain disruptions.
Ford said Canada should not be pressured into accepting an agreement that undermines its economic interests.
“We need to stand together,” he said, arguing that a strong response is necessary as Canada confronts what he described as an unprecedented challenge to its trading relationship with the United States.
When asked about workers affected by the tariffs, Ford said both levels of government need to support impacted sectors “not for the short term, but for the long term.”
“We are going to be there to support our steel workers and our auto sector,” Ford said. “We need to support these sectors and make sure they are viable.”
for tariff, dollar for dollar.”
Ford’s comments came after Carney suspended negotiations with Washington shortly before a midnight deadline, saying last-minute changes proposed by the United States were “unfair, uneconomic” and raised questions about whether any agreement reached could be relied upon.
Speaking to CP24, Ford described the escalating dispute as an “economic war” and said Canada needs a united response from governments, businesses and workers.
“It was a bad deal,” Ford said, defending Carney’s decision not to accept the proposed agreement.
“I’ve always said tariff for tariff, dollar for dollar.”.
The latest tariffs add to growing uncertainty for Canadian businesses that depend on access to the U.S. market and could raise costs for manufacturers and construction suppliers on both sides of the border.
Ford said the dispute requires a unified national approach, reiterating that Canada should not be pressured into accepting an agreement that undermines its economic interests.
“We need to stand together,” he said, arguing that a strong response is necessary as Canada confronts what he described as an unprecedented challenge to its trading relationship with the United States.
When asked about workers impacted by the tariffs, Ford said both levels of government need to support affected sectors “not for the short term, but for the long term.
“We are going to be there to support our steel workers and our auto sector,” Ford said. “We need to support these sectors and make sure they are viable.”
