A landmark trade agreement signed in 2019 could be on the table in trade talks, suggests Ontario premier
US president Donald Trump may seek to reopen Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) as early as November, Ontario premier Doug Ford warned Wednesday, calling on Ottawa to prepare for a contentious and potentially destabilizing renegotiation.
“He’s not waiting until 2026,” Ford said during a press conference at Queen’s Park. “At any given time, President Trump – not that he even follows the rules – he can pull the carpet out from underneath us on CUSMA tomorrow with one signature.”
The comments followed a closed-door meeting Wednesday between prime minister Mark Carney and provincial premiers in response to a new US tariff, CBC News reported. Last week, Washington imposed a baseline 35% tariff on Canadian goods not covered by CUSMA after talks failed to yield a new deal by the August 1 deadline.
Push for a stronger trade stance
Ford is calling for Canada to retaliate with matching tariffs and tougher countermeasures. “You can’t have tariffs on one side and not the other,” he said at a news conference in Thornhill. “Dollar for dollar, tariff for tariff. They understand strength, not weakness.”
If Ottawa does not escalate its tariffs, Ford said Canada should lower quotas for steel products, ensuring tariffs are applied sooner to US imports. He also encouraged large-scale infrastructure projects to boost domestic industries, suggesting the construction of “an aircraft carrier,” or something of similar scale.
He added that he had a “positive” discussion with US Commerce secretary Howard Lutnick on Tuesday, and reaffirmed confidence in Carney’s approach. He noted that the “prime minister is doing everything in his power to get a fair trade deal with the US.”
Diverging provincial views
However, not all provinces back Ford’s strategy. According to CTV News, Saskatchewan premier Scott Moe urged Ottawa to ease tariffs, not increase them. “Maybe it’s time for Canada even to at least not add additional counter-tariffs in this space, but to even consider removing some of the counter-tariffs that are harmful to Canadian businesses and Saskatchewan businesses today,” Moe said.
Carney, speaking earlier this week in British Columbia, suggested lifting some Canadian counter-tariffs could be part of a strategic response. “We look at what we can do for our industry that’s most effective. In some cases, that will be to remove tariffs,” he said.
While around 85% of Canada-US trade remains tariff-free under CUSMA, Ford’s warning highlights growing concern over potential US moves ahead of the 2026 review.
“Let’s be prepared,” Ford said. “He’s going to come at us with double barrels.”
How should Canada respond if the US moves to reopen the CUSMA trade deal? Share your insights in the comments below.
