Ford fires back at Trump over tariff threat during wildfires crisis
· Toronto Sun
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“Disappointing, to say the least.”
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That’s how Ontario Premier Doug Ford reacted to calls from U.S. President Donald Trump for more tariffs in Canada, as smoke from wildfires in northern Ontario continues to drift south of the border.
“Our message to President Trump is that if he actually does his due diligence, one of the largest fires started from Minnesota,” Ford told reporters during a Monday morning press conference in Toronto.
“That’s not a knock against Minnesota, because (Minnesota) Gov. (Tim) Walz and I have an incredible relationship.”
Trump threatens tariffs if fires not controlled
The smoke that has blanketed much of southern Ontario and areas of the northeastern and midwestern United States prompted many U.S. politicians — including Trump — to call on Canada to do more to stop the outbreak of wildfires.
Even after speaking with Prime Minister Mark Carney at the World Cup Final game in New Jersey on Sunday, Trump told reporters that Canada needs to halt the fires or face even greater trade tariffs.
The wildfire smoke last week briefly made Toronto the most polluted city in the world , beating out reliably messy metropolises such as Kinshasa, Beijing and Lahore, Pakistan.
Ford lauded the successful rescue of 15 American YMCA campers and staff stranded by fires in Ontario’s Wabakimi Provincial Park, brought to safety by Royal Canadian Air Force rescue teams.
Tariffs to blame for wildfire emergency?
He also indirectly blamed the tariffs for Ontario’s wildfire emergency.
“Maybe if (Trump) got rid of the tariffs on softwood lumber, it might make a difference,” Ford said.
“Until we can harvest these areas and ship them down, I gotta remind President Trump that 33% of their lumber — and we have better quality lumber here in Canada — comes from Canada to build their homes, and he’s wondering why housing costs are going up, because he’s putting tariffs on his number one trading partner.”
190 active fires over 735,000 hectares
Ford painted a grim picture of Ontario’s fire situation, saying the entire situation is escalating.
“The fires are expanding from 650,000 hectares (1.6 million acres) to 735,000 hectares (1.8 million acres,) so it’s moving quickly,” he said.
“As of this morning, there are a total of 190 active wildland fires across Ontario, 56 of those are still considered not under control, 112 are being observed, six are being held, and 16 are under control.”
Operations battling the blazes include 155 crews, 80 water bombers and helicopters, as well as 40 support aircraft.
Thirteen communities are under evacuation orders, with evacuees being hosted in Thunder Bay, Toronto, Niagara Falls and Sudbury.
Ontario needs help, not threats: Ford
Ford said Trump would be better to offer Canada support instead of threats, particularly since the U.S. reliably turns to Canada for help in natural disasters.
“When Hurricane Helene went a little wild in the Carolinas and Georgia last year, who were the first to step up?” Ford said.
“We directed over 50 trucks … with 100 different linesmen going down there to support our closest neighbours. That’s what we do. When they had the wildland fires out in California, who was the first there? We were there.”
Ford pointed out that 3.9 million acres (1.58 million hectares) of wildfires are currently burning in the United States as of Monday, and that Ontario would absolutely be sending resources south to help if they weren’t already tied up controlling our own fires.