(LifeSiteNews) — Both the leader of the federal Conservative Party, Pierre Poilievre, and Progressive Conservative Premier of Ontario, Doug Ford, have issued strong rebukes of U.S. President Donald Trump over the latter’s imposition of tariffs on Canadian goods.
“At 12 a.m., President Trump stabbed America’s best friend in the back,” Poilievre said in a 14-minute press conference Tuesday, just hours after Trump’s promised 25 percent tariffs on Canadian goods went into effect.
LIVE: A Canada First response to unjustified U.S. tariffs https://t.co/W7nbvqrc47
— Pierre Poilievre (@PierrePoilievre) March 4, 2025
“My message to the president is this: Canada will fight back,” Poilievre added.
Poilievre also took the time to address concerned Canadians, especially those in the agricultural, manufacturing, and automotive industries, who are most like to be most impacted by the imposition of tariffs. Poilievre also argued that much of the hurt Canadians will experience as a consequence of the tariffs are the fault of outgoing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, pointing to the already massive increase in housing and food costs seen over his tenure.
As leader of the most populous province of Ontario, Premier Doug Ford announced direct action he has taken in response to the tariffs, saying he has put an end to the province’s contract with Elon Musk’s satellite internet provider project Starlink. He also announced an immediate banning of all U.S. companies from Ontario government contracts.
🚨 BREAKING: Ontario Premier Doug Ford cancels @ElonMusk‘s Starlink contract, bans all U.S. companies from taking part in government contracts in response to Trump.
“It’s done, it’s gone. We won’t award contracts to people who enable and encourage economic attacks on our… pic.twitter.com/xr9e3AALFk
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) March 4, 2025
“It’s done, it’s gone,” said Ford. “We won’t award contracts to people who enable and encourage economic attacks on our province and our country.”
“They only have President Trump to blame,” he said.
While Canada’s response to Trump seems to be one of retaliation, People’s Party of Canada leader Maxime Bernier has previously argued that such action is the “stupidest thing” Canada could do.
According to Bernier, Canada should get serious about cracking down on illegal drugs and “impose a complete moratorium on immigration to answer Trump’s immediate concerns about Canada.”
On Tuesday, Bernier reiterated that sentiment, writing on X, “Escalating the trade war with the U.S. is as stupid as escalating the military war with Russia.”
Escalating the trade war with the US is as stupid as escalating the military war with Russia.
There is nothing rational in how politicians in Canada are reacting to Trump’s tariffs.
Hysteria and self-defeating behaviour are the new default mode of our governments.
We’re only…
— Maxime Bernier (@MaximeBernier) March 4, 2025
