Ford tells Carney deal with U.S. needs to help sectors hit by tariffs or else ‘hit back hard’

Ontario Premier Doug Ford speaks to the media during a funding announcement in Hamilton, Ont., Wednesday, Aug. 20, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Carlos Osorio

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he spoke with Prime Minister Mark Carney following an announcement Friday that Canada will ease tariffs on U.S. goods and told him that any agreement with the United States should include support for Canadian industries impacted by tariffs.

“I spoke with Prime Minister Carney following his announcement to stress the need for an agreement with the United States that provides relief to our tariff-impacted sectors, including steel, auto, forestry and copper,” Ford wrote in a post on X Friday afternoon.

“If the federal government can’t achieve that, they need to hit back hard against U.S. tariffs and provide additional supports for the workers and businesses in these sectors.”

Ford’s post comes after Carney said Friday Canada will remove countertariffs on American goods covered by the free-trade agreement between the two countries.

He has repeatedly said that Canada needs to bargain from a position of strength and has urged Carney not to “roll over” for U.S. President Donald Trump.

The premier also reiterated that Canada should be maximizing its use of local resources in order to offset the damage from U.S. tariffs.

“The federal government also needs to move fast to ensure Ontario steel is helping to build the future of Canada,” Ford wrote. “Everything we make in Canada from ships, military equipment, pipelines to every piece of infrastructure should be made using Ontario and Canadian steel. Let’s get moving.”

More to come…