Ontario Prime Minister Doug Ford says he’s not sure A stay of 30 days For car manufacturersWho, according to him, could be used to try to try companies to move their operations south of the border.
Speaking to Queen’s Park on the second day of Canada’s pricing battle with the United StatesFord said that he and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau were aligned in their request that the prices are rebuilt, not reduced or delayed.
On Tuesday, 25% prices were slapped in the vast majority of Canadian imports to the United States. Later in the same day, US Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said the White House could potentially Meet Canada “in the middle” on prices.
Ford said he and Trudeau were “on the same wavelength” by rejecting this offer and insisting on “zero prices” in Canada.
“There is not half pregnant, we have no zero or we will continue the show here,” said Ford on Wednesday.
Lutnick called Ford on Tuesday and told him about the pricing situation after the Prime Minister’s threats to cut energy to houses in the United States and ban American alcohol.
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Sources knowing the call confirmed to Global News that it had taken place, and said that the Prime Minister’s office was not sure of the Trump administration really wanted.
Then, Wednesday afternoon, the White House confirmed that it would exempt car manufacturers from prices for 30 days after meetings with the leaders of large vehicle producers.
Ford said the stay did not get well with him.
“I always worry when someone says a stay at 30 days that gives them a chance to start to fuel things and plan their next move,” he said. “As we all know, what the president says today can change tomorrow. We have seen this model; The goal posts are constantly changing. »»
The Ford and Trudeau governments have collectively spent tens of billions of dollars attracting car manufacturers to build new expanded installations in Ontario, emphasizing electric vehicles and the manufacture of batteries.
In recent years, the two governments have announced more than $ 50 billion to support a series of automotive companies investing in Ontario, notably Stellantis, Volkswagen, Ford and Honda.
These automotive factories were a key element in the Ford and Trudeau job creation strategies, but have been for Trump for some time. The American president thought about A 100% price On Canadian vehicles and said he wanted to see companies moving to the United States.
“If you look at Canada, Canada has a very large automotive industry. They stole it from us. They stole it because our people were sleeping behind the wheel, “said Trump in February.
It is not yet clear if the stay applies only to Stellantis, Ford and General Motors or if other companies will also be exempt. It is not clear either if the automotive parts, which cross the border as the vehicles are manufactured, will also be excused prices.
The suspended price could be part of a strategy to convince Ontario car manufacturers to move to the United States, said Ford.
“When someone says,” Give us 30 days to accelerate while we move to the south of the border, “it is unacceptable,” he said. “We need certainty, companies need certainty, at all levels.”
Wednesday afternoon, the White House essentially confirmed Ford’s concerns.
The white house press secretary Karoline Leavitt told journalists that Trump told the main American car manufacturers – Ford, Stelllantis and General Motors – to start working to move during the suspended price.
“He told them that they should get there-start to invest, start moving, move investments here in the United States of America where they will not pay any prices,” she said. “This is the ultimate goal.”
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