Ontario Premier's Electricity Threat Could Hit Minnesota Again

Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Monday he's willing to cut off electricity to the United States as trade tensions with President Donald Trump escalate, a threat that could hit Minnesota again based on how Ontario has retaliated in the past.

Ford told The Associated Press that "everything is on the table," including electricity and critical minerals shipped from Ontario, after Trump announced new 50 percent tariffs on Canadian automobiles, auto parts and steel set to begin next year.

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Ontario has used electricity as leverage before. During an earlier phase of the trade dispute, the province imposed a 25 percent surcharge on power exported to Minnesota, Michigan and New York, covering about 1.5 million homes and businesses, according to Ford.

"We power 1.5 million homes and businesses," Ford said. "Everything's on the table. I'll do whatever it takes."

The threat comes days after Prime Minister Mark Carney walked away from trade negotiations with the Trump administration, saying Washington was demanding too much in exchange for tariff relief.

The United States imposed 50 percent tariffs Saturday on roughly $20 billion worth of Canadian goods, and Canada is set to begin dollar for dollar retaliation on Sept. 8.

Ford also invoked former President Ronald Reagan, saying Reagan would be disgusted by Trump's approach to trade with Canada.

Ford previously ran U.S. television ads featuring a 1987 Reagan speech warning against tariffs, a campaign that briefly derailed trade talks last year.

Ford accused Trump of trying to hollow out Canadian manufacturing rather than negotiate a better deal, saying the president wants to "bleed out every single sector" and shift production to the United States.

Ontario is the center of Canada's auto manufacturing industry, with plants tightly linked to factories in Michigan and other states.

Trump's new tariffs on Canadian vehicles and parts put that supply chain directly in the crosshairs of the dispute.

Despite the rhetoric, Ford said he still believes Canada should keep negotiating with Washington rather than cut off talks entirely.

Reporting from the Associated Press was used in this story.