“I want to find out where their bar is set,” Ford told reporters Wednesday. “Rather than keep moving the goalpost, I want to find out how quickly you want to move forward and see what their requirements are.” On Tuesday, Trump threatened to double steel and aluminum duties on Canada but backed down after Ford agreed to halt a surcharge on electricity that Ontario sells to three U.S. states. Trump claimed a win against Ford repeatedly on Wednesday, calling the premier “some guy in Ontario.” “I said, ‘This will be won in one hour,’ and (we) announced what we were going to do and they withdrew their little threat,” Trump said. Canada responded to Trump’s steel and aluminum levies with 25 per cent tariffs on $29.8 billion worth of American goods, which took effect just after midnight Thursday. Those duties focus on American steel and aluminum products but also include other items like smartphones, video game consoles and golf clubs. Spring and summer staples hit with Canadian tariffs include fishing gear and sleeping bags. Champagne also directed Industry Canada to prioritize investments in projects that mostly use Canadian steel and aluminum. “Canadian steel and aluminum form the basis of North America’s critical infrastructure and manufacturing base, while supporting vital U.S. industries, including defence, shipbuilding and automotive,” Champagne said in a media statement. “They are also essential for securing our collective energy future and generate high-quality jobs on both sides of the border.” This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 13, 2025.