Days before U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to slap higher tariffs on Canada because smoke from Canadian wildfires annoyed U.S. citizens, Ontario Premier Doug Ford visited evacuees staying in Thunder Bay who have lost everything.
“I find it a shame the administration in the U.S. and Congress people writing these letters and blaming us. They have a very short, short memory,” said Ford outside the Thunder Bay MNR headquarters on Saturday. “We had water bombers, everyone ready, going over to California last year. We sent other linemen down to the Carolinas and Georgia to help out. That’s what neighbours do, right?”
He added that neighbours don’t threaten and criticize because one day it will be their turn and Canadians will head down there without hesitation to support their neighbours.
“It’s not from all Americans. I’ll tell you, Americans love Canadians, and we Canadians love Americans. But to make the comments they did through the administration is unacceptable, absolutely unacceptable,” he said.
This week, Trump changed direction and threatened Canada with an additional 50 per cent tariff on a range of goods targeting Canadian alcohol, dairy products and milk, and hundreds of items from cement and electronic equipment to hockey sticks and Christmas ornaments. Trump claims his new tariffs this week are to hit back against Canada for retaliating against his previous tariffs.
“We’ve got to remind President Trump that 33 per cent of the lumber comes from Canada to build their homes. And he’s wondering why the cost of building housing is going up; because he’s putting tariffs on his number one trading partner,” said Ford. “Why don’t you get rid of the softwood lumber tariffs? You want us to clear the forest? Well, open up the gates. Let’s start shipping softwood lumber down there, and that would resolve a lot of the issues that we face right now.”
He added that maybe Trump could offer his closest allies and friends some support rather than sit there and threaten tariffs.
Ford recalled Hurricane Helena in the Carolinas and Georgia in 2024, and how Canadians were the first to step up.
“We directed over 50 trucks and hydro linesmen to go down there to support our closest neighbours. That’s what we do,” he said. “When they had the infernal wildland fires out in California, who was first there? We were there. We also sent two water bombers out west to be deployed immediately.”
Ford said we’ve got to remind Trump that 3.9 million acres are burning in the United States right now, and if we had resources, we would send them down to our closest friends and allies.
“Rather than criticize and threaten Canada, your closest friends. Maybe one day you’re going to need our help, like you did last year, and we’ll deploy the people. I get frustrated just listening to that bunch of rubbish,” said Ford.
