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Ontario's Premier Says Canada Will Stand Firm, Won't Back Down as Provincial Chiefs Meet Amid New US Tariffs

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Ontario's Premier Doug Ford on Tuesday said Canada vows to stand firm and defend its interests amid rising tensions with its biggest trading partner after President Donald Trump decided to impose new tariffs on Canadian goods.

"Together, we'll stand united. We'll never back down. We'll never roll over," Ford wrote in a X post after Monday's decision by the US to slap Canada with new tariffs.

Using Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930, the US administration accused Canada of unfairly discriminating against American products in sectors including dairy, alcoholic beverages and autos. The affected goods will lose US-Mexico-Canada Agreement exemption eligibility, with the new tariffs set to take effect in 30 days.

Ford's comments came as Canadian premiers start meeting Tuesday in Prince Edward Island for the 2026 Council of the Federation (COF) Summer Meeting.

"Team Canada is coming together and there's never been a better time to do so," wrote Ford on X, referring to the COF meeting.

The recent announcement of new US tariffs "reinforces the importance of provinces and the federal government working together to protect Canada's interests and strengthen our economy," said P.E.I. Premier Rob Lantz, who is hosting COF, in a statement. "This is a significant time in our country."

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