Doug Ford Calls Trump Tariffs 'craziest Idea Someone Could Come Up With' On Abc News

As he continues to make media appearances representing the people of Canada, Ontario Premier Doug Ford is not mincing words when it comes to the newly-implemented U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods.

After appealing to the American public on CNN Tuesday, the provincial leader spoke with ABC News today, maintaining his firm stance against the Trump administrations move to cripple the Canadian economy despite the two nations being such strong allies.

"I just do not understand. I think it's the craziest idea someone could ever come up with," Ford told ABC's Diane Macedo, detailing how the tariffs will be damaging to industries and individuals on both sides of the border.

"We look at the U.S. as our family. This is like a family member, just like we're the little brother or little sister, and it's been going on for 200 years, this incredible relationship. So he caught everyone off guard, to be very frank, and now we have to protect our country against a great ally."

Here's what the premier had to say, in full:

"First of all, thank you for having me on Diane, and I always start off with saying, Canadians love Americans and they love the U.S. It's unfortunate that one person — it's not the people of America, it's not the elected officials, it's one person that's caused this, this issue, and that was President Trump.

And you know, we have to retaliate, as much as we don't want to and there's no reason to, to our closest friends and allies.

Ontario was the largest purchaser of alcohol in the world, the largest customer to the largest customer to 35 states and 3,600 products. And we thought that would be appropriate, as President Trump is trying to destroy businesses here in Ontario and the supply chains between the U.S. and Canada.

There are no closer allies in the entire world. Let's focus on China. Let's not focus on your friends and allies like Canada. So that's what we've done, and we've done a few other items.

It's the last thing I want to do. I want to put more alcohol on the shelves. I want to give you more electricity. I want to do everything I can to continue having a great relationship with our closest friends that we absolutely love.

What we'd like to hear from the U.S. officials, or basically the Trump administration, is that we aren't going to see the tariffs. If you take off the energy, the oil that we ship down — 4.3 million barrels that keep your economy going, because if you didn't have that, a gallon of gas will go up over $1 — if you take that to the side, the U.S. has a $55 billion surplus when it comes to manufacturing services, which I'm fine with.

You know, we just want a great trading relationship. And as for the electricity, we do power... just Ontario alone, not to mention what Quebec powers, and British Columbia and Manitoba... we send a tremendous amount of electricity to the U.S.

I want to send more electricity to support our great friends. But when the president starts attacking our country and attacking Ontario unprovoked...

We look at the U.S. as our family. This is like a family member, just like we're the little brother or little sister, and it's been going on for 200 years, this incredible relationship. So he caught everyone off guard, to be very frank, and now we have to protect our country against a great ally.

We share so much in common, [like] values. I want to build an Am-Can fortress against China and other people who want to come after both our countries. That's what I want to do. 

Secretary Lutnick is a super great individual. He understands markets, he understands business, and [tariffs have] turned the U.S. and Canada into mass chaos over the last couple days. The market tanked $3 trillion. Now it's coming back up a little bit, but they want certainty, and that's all I was telling to the secretary.

You know, don't attack your closest friend and ally. We help each other. We send lumber there. We send aluminum and steel and high grade nickel to keep your manufacturing going. And along with electricity and oil, and the list just keeps going on and on and on. That's the way it's been for over a century.

We want to continue doing that, because at the end of the day, we have to keep an eye on China. They're shipping in, you know, low cost parts to Mexico, who slaps a made in Mexico sticker on it, and ships it up through the U.S. and Canada, costing American and Canadian jobs. That's unacceptable. We want to have a fair trade agreement, and that's what my message to him was, and he understands. He's a good man.

President Trump’s tariffs are already tanking U.S markets and will shut down American factories within days.

The U.S. and Canada should be working together, not fighting a pointless trade war that will only hurt workers and businesses in both countries. pic.twitter.com/sZVJPMlO7F

— Doug Ford (@fordnation) March 5, 2025

[If Trump introduces more tariffs], it just goes back and forth, and it just hurts Americans and Canadians. You'll see plants close in the U.S., possibly assembly lines in the auto sector will close in the next five days. And for what reason? I just do not understand. I think it's the craziest idea someone could ever come up with.

Let's look at other countries that are threatening the U.S. and Canada, let's build that Am-Can fortress. We have all the critical minerals in the world that the U.S. needs and wants, and we want to ship it down to our closest friends.

You know, Diane, I spent 20 years of my life in the U.S. I just absolutely love the people there. I spent 20 years in Chicago and New Jersey, and I think the world of them.

Every American I speak to, not one agrees with it. Not one elected official, Republican or Democratic, governor, senator or congress people. Republicans in closed offices with me, they say we totally disagree with what [Trump] is doing. It doesn't help anyone.

Actually, it causes inflation of both sides of the [border], costs will go up. I heard on the news the other day that a Dodge pick-up truck just went from $70,000 up to $100,000. They just increased costs to everyone.

I think they misjudged the will of the Canadian people and the strength of the Canadian people, Make no mistake about it, it's not the American people. I know I've repeated it, I'll repeat it again: we love our American neighbours, the best in the world.

God bless America, God bless Canada. Let's get through this. Thank you.