The Prime Minister of Ontario, Canada’s largest province, Doug Ford, accused Mexico on Tuesday of being the “back door” for Chinese products and suggested expelling the country from the USMCA.
Ford noted in a press conference that if Mexico “does not match Canada and the United States tariffs” on Chinese imports, it should not “sit at the table (USMCA) or enjoy access to the largest economy in the world.”
The conservative politician added that Canada should prioritize the United States and negotiate “a bilateral free trade agreement” between the two countries.
“If Mexico wants a bilateral trade agreement with Canada, God bless them. But I’m not going to let myself go down with these cheap imports that take away the jobs of Ontario men and women,” he added.
Ontario is the industrial engine of Canada and concentrates the country’s entire automobile sector, which employs some 125,000 people directly in the province.
Read: Trade relationship between Mexico and the US is protected by the USMCA: Ambassador Salazar
In 2023, automobile production contributed C$14 billion (US$10 billion) to Ontario’s GDP.
The Canadian Government announced in August that it will impose a 100% tariff on the import of Chinese electric vehicles, as well as another 25% tariff on steel and aluminum from the Asian giant, matching the tariffs announced by the United States.
In 2026, the United States, Canada and Mexico are scheduled to renegotiate the USMCA.
The president-elect of the United States, Donald Trump, has expressed his opposition to Chinese manufacturers producing vehicles in Mexico for export and has suggested imposing tariffs of up to 200%.
With information from EFE
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