Doug Ford calls Wednesday ‘Termination Day’ amid tariff threats

Ontario Premier Doug Ford speaks to reporters at Queen's Park on March 26 after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff on automotive imports. (CP24)

Premier Doug Ford is warning Ontarians to “fasten” their seatbelts ahead of an expected Wednesday announcement from U.S. President Donald Trump regarding another sweeping round of tariffs.

Trump has said that he will announce details about his plan to slap “reciprocal” tariffs on trading partners on Wednesday, calling it “Liberation Day.”

So far, few details have been released about what form the tariffs may take but they come on the heels of a number of other tariffs introduced by the U.S., including 25 per cent levies on steel and aluminum that took effect earlier this month.

In an interview with Newstalk 1010 on Monday, Ford said he asked U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick for a heads up on what Ontario could expect during a call last week but received no specifics.

“[Lutnick] said he didn’t know. Either he is blowing smoke or he really doesn’t know, and I think it is the latter. I think you are bang on. Sometimes Mr. Trump doesn’t know either. So let’s fasten our seatbelt and lets get ready,” Ford said.

“He (Trump) calls it Liberation Day, I call it Termination Day for quite a few Americans if this goes through. It is going to hurt America just like it is going to hurt Canadians too.”

U.S. President Donald Trump’s reciprocal tariffs on trading partners are set to take effect on April 2, a day he has proclaimed as “Liberation Day” for American trade. CTV News will have extensive coverage across all platforms:

• CTVNews.ca will have in-depth coverage, real-time updates, and expert analysis on what the tariffs will mean for Canadians.
• CP24.com will report on any developments out of Queen’s Park and what the tariffs means for the people of the GTHA.
• BNNBloomberg.ca will explain what this means for the business community, investors, and the market.

Trump has already said that the U.S. will place a tariff of 25 per cent on imported vehicles as of April 3, though Ford told Newstalk 1010 that his understanding is that the tariff will only apply to the portion of vehicle which is made up of non-American parts.

That, he said, could at least blunt the impact of policy that would otherwise “absolutely annihilate” Ontario’s auto sector.

“Can we survive? Yes. Am I happy? No, not at all. We should not be tariffed whatsoever,” Ford said. “This auto pact has been around since 1965 and I said you can’t unscramble an egg that was made back in 1965. You just have to create a larger omelette and that is what I believe we should be doing here in North America with our U.S. friends.”

White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said on Monday that there will be “no exemptions” to the tariffs slated to go into effect earlier this week, though it is unclear whether a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian and Mexican goods that was partially delayed until April 2 will be revived.

Speaking with Newstalk 1010, Ford said that he is “very concerned” about the potential for more tariffs. He added that while “everything remains on the table” in terms of retaliatory action, he continues to believe that those crafting the Canadian response should wait for Trump’s announcement to “see the hand we are dealt.”

“Once the tariffs come out then we can sit down as a group, the premiers, and the prime minister and his team, and come up with appropriate retaliations,” Ford said.