Ontario suspends electricity surcharge after US commerce secretary agrees to talks
Ontario will suspend its 25% surcharge on exports of electricity to three US states after top American trade officials agreed to negotiate with the Canadian province in Washington DC later this week.
The end of the surcharge, which prompted Donald Trump to double his administration’s tariffs on Canadian metal imports and threaten even harsher measures, was announced in a joint statement from Ontario premier Doug Ford, and US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick. Ford imposed the tax last week, in retaliation for 25% tariffs Trump levied on Canadian goods, which the White House later relaxed.
Here is the statement, in full:
Today, United States Secretary of Commerce @howardlutnick and Premier of Ontario Doug Ford had a productive conversation about the economic relationship between the United States and Canada.
Secretary Lutnick agreed to officially meet with Premier Ford in Washington on Thursday, March 13 alongside the United States Trade Representative to discuss a renewed USMCA ahead of the April 2 reciprocal tariff deadline. In response, Ontario agreed to suspend its 25 per cent surcharge on exports of electricity to Michigan, New York and Minnesota.
Key events
Donald Trump’s impromptu press conference outside the White House with Elon Musk also saw him announce his selection of one of several Teslas that were parked in the driveway.
The president told the press he would be buying a red Model S, though he added he would not be allowed to test-drive it.
The decision puts Trump on the wrong side of a boycott aimed at Tesla for Musk’s involvement in stripping down the US government:
Wall Street indices have clawed back some of their losses seen earlier today, after the US and Canada dialed back a flare-up in their newly tense trade relationship.
But markets have generally fallen in recent days after Donald Trump imposed tariffs on America’s northern neighbor.
Asked for his reaction to the sell off, Trump said it “doesn’t concern me. I think some, some people are going to make great deals by buying stocks and bonds and all the things they’re buying. I think we’re going to have an economy that’s a real economy, not a fake economy.”
Trump will ‘probably’ reconsider increasing tariffs on Canada after Ontario cancels electricity surcharge
Donald Trump said he is rethinking his decision earlier today to double tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum imports, after Ontario’s premier Doug Ford canceled a 25% surcharge on electricity exports to three US states.
“I’m looking at that, but probably so,” Trump responded, when asked if he was rethinking his decision to raise tariffs on Canadian metals to 50%. He added that Ford was “a gentleman”, then pivoted to arguing that Canada should become America’s 51st state.
Trump was speaking outside the White House with Elon Musk and one of his sons, along with some Teslas that the president said he would buy.
Donald Trump is currently taking questions from the press outside the White House on a nice early spring day in Washington DC.
He’s with Elon Musk and one of his sons, plus some Teslas, which Trump recently said he would be buying.
Ontario suspends electricity surcharge after US commerce secretary agrees to talks
Ontario will suspend its 25% surcharge on exports of electricity to three US states after top American trade officials agreed to negotiate with the Canadian province in Washington DC later this week.
The end of the surcharge, which prompted Donald Trump to double his administration’s tariffs on Canadian metal imports and threaten even harsher measures, was announced in a joint statement from Ontario premier Doug Ford, and US commerce secretary Howard Lutnick. Ford imposed the tax last week, in retaliation for 25% tariffs Trump levied on Canadian goods, which the White House later relaxed.
Here is the statement, in full:
Today, United States Secretary of Commerce @howardlutnick and Premier of Ontario Doug Ford had a productive conversation about the economic relationship between the United States and Canada.
Secretary Lutnick agreed to officially meet with Premier Ford in Washington on Thursday, March 13 alongside the United States Trade Representative to discuss a renewed USMCA ahead of the April 2 reciprocal tariff deadline. In response, Ontario agreed to suspend its 25 per cent surcharge on exports of electricity to Michigan, New York and Minnesota.
Government funding bill moves closer to passage after key House vote
A bill to fund the government through September and prevent a shutdown from starting after Friday has cleared a key vote in the House.
The Republican-controlled chamber voted 216 to 213 to begin debate on the continuing resolution, which authorizes spending for the remainder of the fiscal year. All Democrats opposed the measure, while the sole GOP defector was Thomas Massie, who has attracted the ire of Donald Trump for bucking Republican leadership.
The continuing resolution is expected to have a final vote on passage later today, and it remains to be seen if any further Republican defections will emerge.
Ukraine agrees to accept ‘immediate, interim 30-day ceasefire’, US restores security, intelligence aid
Ukraine has agreed to accept a US proposal for an immediate 30-day ceasefire and to take steps toward restoring a durable peace after Russia’s invasion, according to a joint statement by American and Ukrainian delegations meeting in Saudi Arabia.
Washington has also announced that it will immediately restart security assistance and intelligence sharing.
We have a live blog covering this breaking story, and you can follow it here:
The Trump administration has asked Columbia University for help in identifying alleged “pro-Hamas” activists on its campus, but the school is refusing, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
“Columbia University has been given the names of other individuals who have engaged in pro-Hamas activity, and they are refusing to help [the Department of Homeland Security] identify those individuals on campus, and as the president said very strongly in his statement yesterday, he is not going to tolerate that,” Leavitt said at her just-concluded press briefing.
It’s unclear what sort of help the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) requires, as Leavitt said they already have the names of the activists. The comment comes after immigration agents arrested activist Mahmoud Khalil and are attempting to deport him, despite the fact that he holds a green card. Donald Trump has said more such arrests will come:
Incoming PM Mark Carney says Canada will keep tariffs ‘until the Americans show us respect’
Canada’s prime minister-designate Mark Carney said he would not lift retaliatory tariffs on American good until Washington does the same.
In a brief post on X, Carney, a former central banker who won the race to lead the federal Liberal party on Sunday, said:
President Trump’s latest tariffs are an attack on Canadian workers, families, and businesses. My government will ensure our response has maximum impact in the US and minimal impact here in Canada, while supporting the workers impacted.
My government will keep our tariffs on until the Americans show us respect and make credible, reliable commitments to free and fair trade.
White House warns Ontario against cutting electricity to US states and defends tariffs on Canada
Press secretary Karoline Leavitt is defending Donald Trump’s decision to further tighten tariffs on Canada, despite widespread economic jitters on Wall Street that are fueling yet another sell-off in today’s ongoing trading.
Pointing to investment announcements Trump has made since and decent economic data, including last week’s jobs report, Leavitt said: “The American people, CEOs and people on Wall Street and on Main Street should bet on this president. He is a deal maker. He is a businessman, and he’s doing what’s right for our country. He wants to restore wealth to the United States of America.”
She also signaled that further measures could taken against Ontario, if the Canadian province’s premier Doug Ford makes good on threats to cut off electricity supplies to three US states:
The president has made it very clear that Canada would be very wise not to shut off electricity for the American people, and we hope that that does not happen. As for what would happen if that does take place, I’ll leave it to the president to make those decisions.
