Carney and Ford meet and discuss trade ahead of premier’s visit to Washington

By Canadian Press on March 12, 2025.

TORONTO — Prime-minister designate Mark Carney met with Ontario Premier Doug Ford this morning, ahead of the provincial leader’s trip to Washington, D.C., to discuss tariffs and free trade with a top U.S. official.

Ford says in a statement that he and Carney had a productive discussion, agreeing on the need to stand firm in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump imposing tariffs on Canadian goods.

Starting today, the U.S. has imposed tariffs of 25 per cent on steel and aluminum imports and the Canadian government announced tariffs on U.S. goods worth nearly $30 billion in retaliation.

Trump had threatened Tuesday to set the steel and aluminum tariff at 50 per cent in response to Ontario placing a surcharge on electricity it exports to three U.S. states.

But both sides agreed to back off those moves after Ford spoke with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, who invited Ford to Washington for a meeting.

Ford says he and federal Finance Minister Dominic LeBlanc will discuss the future of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement on free trade with Lutnick.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 12, 2025.

Allison Jones, The Canadian Press