Ontario Premier Doug Ford Vows to ‘Inflict Pain’ on Americans ‘With a Smile On My Face’

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has made it clear: Canada is ready to retaliate against the United States with economic warfare, vowing to “inflict pain” on Americans, promising to do so “with a smile on my face,” in response to President Donald Trump’s trade policies.

Ford’s incendiary remarks came during a mining convention in Toronto, where he warned that Ontario will not stand idly by if the U.S. moves forward with tariffs on Canadian goods.

“If they want to try to annihilate Ontario, I will do everything — including cut off their energy with a smile on my face,” Ford declared to reporters. “They rely on our energy, they need to feel the pain. They want to come at us hard, we’re going to come back twice as hard.”

This shocking declaration from a key Canadian leader raises serious concerns about the state of U.S.-Canada relations.

The United States is a major customer of Canadian electricity, with power grids interconnected in all states except Texas. Ontario alone supplies massive amounts of energy to key American states like New York, Michigan, and Minnesota. In 2023, U.S. imports of Canadian electricity reached approximately 33 TWh (terawatt hours), generating over $5.8 billion in revenue for Canada.

Ford’s threat to weaponize Canada’s energy exports marks a dramatic escalation in tensions, showcasing an open willingness to harm American consumers and businesses to advance Canada’s political agenda.

While Ford attempted to justify his remarks by pointing to U.S. trade policies, his statements reveal an aggressive and confrontational posture that could have dire consequences for the Canadian economy.

The Ontario premier also emphasized his commitment to retaliating against any American tariffs, ensuring that for every action taken by the U.S., Ontario would strike back. “That’s exactly what we’re going to do,” he asserted. 

“The provinces have a big say in it, but it’s the federal government that’s leading the charge, and we’re going to stand shoulder-to-shoulder no matter who’s in the federal government.”