Ontario for suspension of electricity surge, Ford to meet with Lutnick

The Prime Minister of Ontario, Doug Ford, says he will suspend the 25 % of the province for electricity exports to Michigan, New York and Minnesota.

This comes from a conversation that Ford had with the US secretary Howard Lutnick, whom the province said he agreed to meet with Prime Minister on Thursday, along with the US trade representative to “discuss a USMCA renewed before the mutual tariff on April 2.”

Ford said he would join Federal Minister of Finance, Dominic Leblanc and said that Lutnick offered a “olive branch” to meet him and the entire commercial administration.

“I understand how serious we are about electricity and tariffs and, rather than going back and back and threatening each other, we both agreed that the colder ends predominate. We have to sit down and advance this, ”Ford told reporters on Tuesday.

Confirmed the White House US President Donald Trump will be backtracking When doubling steel and aluminum tariffs that will enter into force at midnight from 25 % to 50 %. The rates will enter into effect at 25 %.

He added that I can still have an electricity surcharge in the back pocket, if you should apply them again.

The prime minister added that he was confident that the US president would “pull back” on steel and aluminum rates announced on Tuesday. “I’m not talking to the president. But if he continues with aluminum and steel, I just got off the phone when Minister Leblanc will answer the dollar for dollar, tariff. “

At the beginning of the day, Ford said he would “respond properly” to US President Donald The latest Trump’s feed escalation.

Ford spoke today in an interview on MSNBC, moments after Trump said he would double an imminent tariff on steel and aluminum in Canada, in response to Ontario, placing a surcharge on electricity in three US states.

“We will not return. We will be tireless, “said Ford. … “I will respond properly to electricity, I will keep up to date.”

“I apologize to the American people that President Trump has decided to have an unprecedented attack on our country, on families, jobs and is unacceptable. Let’s work together, let’s get to the table if he has problems and solve this, ”he said.

Ontario adopted the surcharge on Monday 25 percent of electricity exports to 1.5 million houses in New York, Michigan and Minnesota, and Ford said it could raise this amount even bigger in response to American climbing.

Ford did not give an indication in the MSNBC interview about what it is considering for its response, but has previously threatened to cut the supply of electricity to the three states.

It also asked a similar question in an interview with CNBC.

“I will not hesitate to do this, this is the last thing I want to do. … There is a person to be blamed and this is President Trump, “the prime minister replied.

Trump posted on social networks this morning that, in response, he will tariff steel and Canadian aluminum at 50 %, instead of the 25 % that had to enter into force on Wednesday.

“The president saw Prime Minister Doug Ford to make an improper and insulting comment, threatening to close electricity for the American people, for the working American families. He made this threat, the president saw this and has an obligation and responsibility to answer, “said the press secretary of the White House, Karoline Leavitt, at a afternoon briefing.

Ford has previously said that the reprisal measures in Ontario – also including the elimination of American alcohol from the Ontario Liqueur Control Council and the ban on American companies in government procurement contracts – would remain in force until all American rates for Canadian goods are eliminated.