Legault, Furey and Smith against idea of cutting energy supplies to U.S.
Posted December 13, 2024 9:16 am.
Three Canadian premiers say they’re against the idea of cutting off energy supplies to the United States if President-elect Donald Trump imposes 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports.
The idea was proposed on Wednesday by Ontario Premier Doug Ford at the end of a virtual meeting with his counterparts and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on relations with the United States.
Ford promised to use “every tool at our disposal, including cutting off energy” to retaliate against the United States. He said Canada could, for example, “cut off electricity to Michigan, to New York State and to Wisconsin.”
Trump is threatening to impose 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports if Canada does not secure its borders. According to him, the Canada-U.S. border is allowing too much fentanyl and illegal immigrants into the United States.
“Trudeau must present a quantified plan to secure the border. It would be better than starting a war and cutting off energy to the United States,” Quebec Premier François Legault said Thursday.
He was at a press conference with his Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey, to announce the historic agreement surrounding the Churchill Falls hydroelectric complex.
However, Hydro-Québec said it has no intention to break its contracts with the State of New York and Massachusetts, indicated its CEO, Michael Sabia. “Our intention is to respect these contracts (…) which are legally binding,” he said.
“There would be no winners in a trade war,” Furey added. “In Newfoundland and Labrador, we have no interest in stopping oil and gas shipments… to the United States.”
The same story was echoed by Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who said that “under no circumstances will Alberta stop exporting oil and gas.” Smith said she clearly preferred the “diplomatic” approach.
Federal Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, François-Philippe Champagne, also noted the importance of “promoting the benefits of the North American relationship.”
“You know, we are strategic partners in several areas: critical minerals, energy, semiconductors, particularly with Quebec. So, I put a lot of emphasis on the advantages,” he said.
Trump, for his part, brushed off Ford’s comments on CNBC Thursday. “He can do that, that’s fine,” he said. “We have a great relationship. I have so many friends in Canada, but we shouldn’t be subsidizing a country.”
Donald Trump believes that the United States is “subsidizing” Canada and is being “ripped off” out of $100 billion a year, a reference to his country’s trade balance, the difference between exports and imports.
The most recent data from Statistics Canada shows that Canada’s trade balance with the United States between November 2023 and October 2024 is $100.9 billion.
–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews
