The pending threat of the U.S. trade tariffs dominated the provincial election campaign on Tuesday.
PC leader Doug Ford says he is preparing for an immediate response if he is reelected.
Ford is again eying American alcohol in retaliation.
“I’ve directed the LCBO to pull off every bottle of booze there is from the US and there’s a lot of them,” says Ford.
“There’s 3,600 products from 35 states. So, there’s going to be a lot of upset Americans that they can’t ship their booze up to, up to Ontario.”
Ford is encouraging other provinces to follow Ontario’s action.
Ford also proposes to pull any contract with U.S. companies and attached added costs to electricity that is exported from Ontario to the States.
“If he (Trump) puts tariffs on anything in Canada or Ontario, they’re getting a tariff on their electricity. And then we’ll go to the next stage and we’ll wait to see what happens from there.”
Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie continued to campaign her healthcare platform while in Toronto.
She promises strong supports for those suffering with a mental illness.
“It is vitally important to do things that will help strengthen our economy and giving people the help and the support they need will strengthen the economy,” says Crombie.
Crombie also announced her support for Mark Carney in the federal Liberal leadership race.
She says feels he is the strongest to deal with Trump.
“Mark Carney is a very decisive leader an experienced leader, and he is the right person for this moment in time,” says Crombie.
“He’s also a leader who will get the basics right. And that’s my focus here in Ontario today, to get the basics right for people.”
Green Party leader Mike Schreiner continued to campaign in the Parry Sound region where the Greens are banking on a third seat in the legislature.
Schreiner also took time to criticize Ford for ignoring small and rural Ontario.
“People are saying enough is enough. We need to send a message to the Ford Conservatives that they cannot take rural Ontario for granted,” says Schreiner.
NDP leader Marit Stiles made several stops in southern Ontario on Tuesday.
Ontario voters go to the polls on February 27th.
