Canada got best of 'bad deal,' Ford says, but still calls tariffs 'totally unacceptable'

Adam Carter · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 03, 2025 12:26 PM EDT | Last Updated: 23 minutes ago

Canada got "the champion of a atrocious deal" erstwhile the state was spared yet different volley of tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump's medication Wednesday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford says.

But that woody is inactive "totally unacceptable," Ford was speedy to adhd erstwhile speaking with reporters astatine Queen's Park Thursday, noting the menace to the nation's car assemblage particularly is inactive "very high."

"The lone happening that's acceptable is zero tariffs," Ford said. "We're going to proceed targeting zero tariffs.

"I bash judge [in], and I would support, retaliation tariffs, precise akin to what they person against america successful the car sector, but that is strictly up to the premier minister."

At a greeting news conference, Prime Minister Mark Carney announced Canada is retaliating against Trump's commercialized argumentation with a 25 per cent tariff connected vehicles imported from the U.S. that are not compliant with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

The authorities volition besides enforce the tariff connected non-Canadian contented of immoderate CUSMA-compliant vehicles from the U.S., Carney said. Mexico won't beryllium impacted.

"Our tariffs volition not impact car parts due to the fact that we cognize the benefits of our integrated accumulation system," helium said, adding that the authorities is processing "a framework" for automakers to debar counter-tariffs arsenic agelong arsenic they support accumulation and concern successful Canada.

While the White House says Canada and Mexico are not taxable to Trump's latest tariffs, they stay nether erstwhile economy-wide duties.

As well, 25 per cent duties connected automobile imports into the U.S. travel into effect Thursday.

Ford said portion vehicles made successful Canada volition apt beryllium deed with tariffs astatine a little level, depending connected the percent of American parts successful them, the menace to Ontario's car assemblage is inactive real.

"These car companies aren't making wealth manus implicit fist — they're fundamentally trying to get by time by time and support their radical employed," Ford said.

Stellantis announced this week that it is temporarily pausing accumulation astatine its assembly works successful Windsor, Ont., for 2 weeks arsenic it assesses the effects of the tariffs.

Ford says helium is expecting the national authorities volition enactment affected workers, but helium hopes the shutdown is lone temporary.

"I've been saying this implicit and implicit again — a tariff connected Canada attacks Americans," Ford said.