Ontario, Canada's most populous province, could ban alcohol produced in the United States of America (US) and limit exports of electricity and critical raw materials for electric batteries to the US states of Michigan, New York and Minnesota, if President-elect Donald Trump actually imposes tariffs. on all Canadian products, a senior Ontario official said tonight.
The official, who works in Ontario Premier Doug Ford's government, said a ban on the Ontario Spirits Traffic Control Board from importing American alcohol is being considered.
Ontario is also considering restrictions on exports of critical minerals needed to make batteries for electric vehicles, as well as barring U.S. companies from participating in public procurement in the Canadian province, said a Ford government official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speaks publicly about potential measures.
Ford confirmed last night that Ontario is considering restrictions on the export of electricity to the neighboring American states of Michigan, New York and Minnesota, and today he repeated that this measure would lead to the point where Americans could no longer afford it.
"It's the last resort," Ford said, adding: "I don't think President-elect Trump wants that to happen. We're sending a message to the United States. If you come and attack Ontario, you're attacking the incomes of the people of Ontario as well as Canadians, so we're going to use every a tool at our disposal to defend Ontarians and Canadians. Let's hope it doesn't come to that."
Trump threatens to impose tariffs of 25 percent on all products imported from Canada and Mexico, if those two countries do not stop the flow of migrants and narcotics into the US.
Ontario provides electricity to 1,5 million households in the US and is a major exporter of electricity to Michigan, Minnesota and New York.
"It's okay if he does it. That's really nice," Trump told the American TV network NBC (CNBC) when, during a visit to the New York Stock Exchange on Wall Street, he was asked about the reaction to Ford's statement.
According to him, "the US is subsidizing Canada, and we shouldn't be doing that."
"We have strong relations. I have so many friends in Canada, but we should not give incentives to one country. We give subsidies in the amount of over 100 billion dollars a year. We should not do that," said Trump.
An NBC reporter said that Trump told him off camera that (people from his future administration) hope they can come to an agreement with Canada.
Daniela Smith, the prime minister of the oil-rich Canadian province of Alberta, rejected any possibility of solving the problems caused by Trump's threats by stopping oil exports to the US and indicated that she would resort to a "diplomatic approach" and that meetings were underway "with our allies in the US" and that is made known that oil and gas from Alberta should be "part of the solution for energy availability and security".
Canada exports more oil to the US than any other country in the world. Canada accounts for 60 percent of crude oil imports to the US, as well as 85 percent of electricity imports.
Canada is also in possession of 34 critical minerals and metals coveted by the Pentagon.
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