Latest news with #DominicLeblanc
CTV News
3 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
‘Guns-a-blazing': Doug Ford wants new tariffs on U.S. if Carney's talks with Trump fail to get deal
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Thursday that he wants to see higher retaliatory tariffs on the U.S. if a trade deal is not worked out within days. 'I had an opportunity to speak to the Prime Minister yesterday, and I know he's in deep, deep discussions right now with the administration in the U.S. and President Trump, but I was very clear with my message,' Ford told reporters at Queen's Park Thursday as the latest legislative session wrapped up. 'The ideal situation is to get a deal, and if that deal does not happen in the next few days, then we have to slap another 25 per cent tariff on top of the existing 25 per cent tariff on our aluminum and steel.' Trump's doubled tariffs on steel and aluminum went into effect on Wednesday. He added that he thinks Prime Minister Mark Carney and Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic Leblanc are 'doing an incredible job' negotiating with Trump, and that they're 'working hard around the clock' to get a deal. 'But if they don't, we have to come out guns a blazing and make sure that the American people understand it's not against them,' Ford said. Ford goes on media offensive Ford did a fresh round of U.S. media appearances Thursday in the wake of the latest tariffs. 'It's a terrible idea what he (Trump) is doing and it will hurt the American people,' he told CNCBC Thursday morning. He said tariffs on Canadian goods are hurting U.S. businesses more than anyone else, amounting to a '$15 billion tax on the backs of Americans.' Ford also weighed in on U.S. President Donald Trump's engagement with China, saying he's treating China better than America's closest allies. 'I think it's a little misguided. We're the number one customer. China's not your number one customer. We buy more products than any other country in the world,' Ford said. He said the tariffs will draw business away from U.S. companies. 'We buy $30 billion of steel and aluminum off the U.S., and now we're just going to start on-shoring everything, everything from rebar to steel beams to aluminum cans that beverage and beer companies put but (their products) into. They're all coming back, and they're billion dollar industries.' He also made appearances on Fox News and Meet the Press. Infrastructure projects key part of plan to shore up economy Speaking with reporters, Ford reiterated the province is focusing on several large infrastructure projects to help bolster Ontario's economy in the wake of the trade war. He said all of the provinces recently gave Carney their list of top five infrastructure projects at a first ministers meeting in Saskatchewan. 'Our key one is building the road to the Ring of Fire. And second is small modular reactors and large scale nuclear as well. So those are our two key items. They're going to drive the economy more than anything right now,' Ford said. He confirmed that his proposed traffic and transit tunnel under Highway 401 was also on the list. The province passed legislation this week giving itself the power to create special economic zones where regular environmental and other regulations can be bypassed in order to speed up project approval. The Ford government has said the Ring of Fire is a key part of its plan to shore up the province's economy. Ford said Thursday that they will be looking to declare the Ring of Fire a special economic zone as soon as possible now that the legislation has passed. Asked about opposition to the plan by First Nations groups, Ford said some of them are excited about the economic benefits while others 'will never agree.' He said he will also be supporting Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her push to build pipelines in order to bring that province's energy to market. The premiers will be hosted by Ford at a meeting in Muskoka in July, his office said Thursday. The provincial legislature is now set to break for the summer, returning only on Oct. 20 to give the government time to enact its agenda.
CTV News
30-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Dominic Leblanc on U.S. policies and building infrastructure at home
Amanda Lang discusses U.S. tariffs, building infrastructure, and changes in investment taxes with Canada's Minister of International Trade, Dominic Leblanc. And in her Takeaway, Amanda looks at the need for the new federal government to convince business to help achieve fiscal goals.
CBC
14-05-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Carney's lean ‘purpose-built' cabinet mixes veterans, new faces
Prime Minister Mark Carney's lean new 'purpose-built' cabinet features a mix of newly elected faces and veteran MPs, including Dominic Leblanc, Anita Anand and François-Philippe Champagne, with Carney himself taking the lead on U.S.-Canada relations.
BBC News
13-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Canada's Carney unveils economy-focused cabinet amidst US trade war
Prime Minister Mark Carney has unveiled a new team promising "decisive action" on his ambitious economic agenda, amidst a trade war with the US and President Donald Trump's repeated remarks undermining Canada's sovereignty. The new cabinet of 28 ministers includes some significant changes, including a new foreign minister to handle the currently fraught US-Canada relationship. "Canada's new ministry is built to deliver the change Canadians want and deserve," Carney said in a statement. The reshuffle - two weeks after the elections - brings a mix of familiar names as well as political newcomers. A new US-Canada team Carney has made a number of changes to the core team of ministers handling the strained relationship with its southern comes after Carney's recently meeting with Trump at the White House, after which he said Trump was willing to negotiate a new trade member of parliament (MP), Dominic Leblanc, who has overseen a number of cabinet positions, most recently international trade, will now focus on Canada-US trade and breaking down internal trade barriers within the country - a key campaign pledge. Toronto-area MP Maninder Sidhu, takes over for Minister of International Trade. Carney has also named a new foreign minister, Anita Anand, who held a number of top roles in former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's cabinet, including defence. Melanie Joly was shuffled out of foreign affairs and given the industry portfolio. Former justice minister Gary Anandasangaree now takes on the role of public safety, a department that will oversee border security, which Trump has cited as a key reason for imposing tariffs on Canada as well as Mexico. David McGuinty, who previously held that position, now oversees defence. Two prominent names have been pushed out of the cabinet - Bill Blair, who oversaw defence, and Jonathan Wilkinson, natural resources minister. Rookie MP Tim Hodgson, first elected in April, is taking over at natural resources. Along the Canada border, small-town America feels sting of Trump's trade warHow Canada voted - in chartsCanada has been 'over reliant on the US for too long', says Joly Fresh faces in key roles The new cabinet is a balance of fresh faces and experienced ministers. Some notable names remaining in their roles include Francois-Philippe Champagne, who stays on as finance minister, a position he has held since March. Chrystia Freeland, the deputy prime minister under Trudeau and a former foreign affairs and finance minister in his government, stays in transport. Steven Guilbeault will continue to oversee Canadian culture and official cabinets in Canada by tradition balance representation of the country's regional, linguistic and ethnic new cabinet includes representation from Canada's prairie provinces, where there are growing musings about separation amid a broader sense of western alienation from the power centre in Ottawa. Carney is also continuing Trudeau's policy of maintaining gender parity in his cabinet. Some of the new faces include former broadcaster Evan Solomon, who will be minister of artificial intelligence and digital MP Julie Dabrusin joins cabinet for the first time as environment minister after having served as parliamentary secretary for the file since 2021. Halifax MP Lena Metlege Diab is also new to cabinet in the role of minister for former mayor, Gregor Robertson, takes on a significant role overseeing housing. Carney has pledged to significantly ramp up construction amid a housing affordability crisis in Canada. The cabinet will be supported by ten secretaries of state, who assist the senior ministers.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Honda considering moving some auto production out of Canada: Japanese report
A Japanese news outlet is reporting that Honda is considering moving some of its production out of Canada amid the ongoing tariff threats from U.S. President Donald Trump — though automotive experts in Ontario said early Tuesday this may be contingency planning. Honda is considering switching some car production from Mexico and Canada to the United States, aiming for 90 per cent of cars sold in the country to be made locally in response to new U.S. auto tariffs, the Nikkei newspaper reported on Tuesday. Such a move would be a major blow to Ontario, which has a large Honda plant in Alliston that was in line to see a massive expansion. Two sources close to the federal government told Radio-Canada this would be a hard blow for the Canadian auto industry. Dominic Leblanc, the federal Minister of International Trade and Intergovernmental Affairs, discussed the situation with Ontario Premier Doug Ford yesterday, the sources confirmed. One government source, who said they have spoken to contacts in Japan, said the $15 billion agreement signed by Honda, Ontario and Canada last year to create a comprehensive electric vehicle supply chain still stands. Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association, said there's reason to question the Nikkei report. "The Honda news appears to be based on a Nikkei report on twoand three-year contingency planning. The Japanese plan for plans," he told CBC News Network. "I don't see Honda in Ontario being affected at the moment." CBC News has reached out to Honda for an official comment. More to come.
