British Columbia Premier David Ebby is even dull.
“We ensure that Americans understand how angry we are, how united we are, how committed we are to work as a nation to stand up for each other,” he said.
Qin said it would be difficult to separate Americans from Trump for at least the next four years.
“We’ve been in our comfort zone with America for years,” she said. “So this is our chance to be strong together.”
Others interviewed at Toronto City Hall had nothing to say about Trump or his tariffs. But, more than ever, they stopped directing light corn on the American people – despite warning that costs would also increase for them due to Canada’s retaliatory moves.
“This will ruin us and ruin you guys,” said Chris Peterson, a carpenter from St. Catharines, a city in Ontario on the US-Canadian border across from western New York. “I will forgive my words, but yeah, you guys will see all your prices rise and all your prices rise.”
The Canadian government launched a $5 billion program on Friday to help domestic businesses navigate tariffs and find new markets for exports.
The provincial government is taking its own mandatory steps to encourage consumers to “buy Canadians.” The Ontario government-run liquor store sells nearly $1 billion in American products each year, but was ordered to stop selling American wine and liquor this week.
“We love the United States,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford said in an interview. “This is crazy and it’s a shame.”
Ford has driven around 1.5 million homes and businesses in New York, Minnesota and Michigan, threatening to cut off Canadian electricity sold across borders.
“That’s the last thing I want to do, but President Trump is trying to destroy our country,” he said.
Some Canadians support the move – and more.
“We’re still too nice,” Peterson said. “I think we should cut everything off. There is no electricity for you, there is no wood for you, there is nothing.
Regarding Trump’s ambition to “not be a chance” for Canada’s 51st state, Peterson said. “We’re not going anywhere. We’re Canada.”
