New Am-Can Strategy Aims to Strengthen US-Canada Relations

Ontario Premier Doug Ford has called for a renewed strategic alliance with the United States on critical minerals, responding to Donald Trump’s threats of imposing tariffs on Canadian goods.

Ford has unveiled a new initiative under his comprehensive Fortress Am-Can strategy. The plan focuses on enhancing the nations’ ability to process metals and minerals, alongside streamlining federal and provincial timelines to expedite mining project approvals. “The success of Fortress Am-Can relies on securing the critical minerals essential for cutting-edge technologies, including advanced military applications that will define geopolitical and economic security for generations to come,” Ford stated.

Ford reiterated Ontario’s readiness to increase critical mineral and energy exports to the United States, but he issued a warning about potential retaliation if Trump follows through with his threats. “If they come at us full force, I will not hesitate to deploy every tool available such as electricity exports, to make them feel the consequences. However, that is a measure I would prefer to avoid.”

Last week, Canada’s Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Jonathan Wilkinson, rejected Trump’s claim that the United States has no need for Canadian resources, emphasizing the role of Canada in supplying oil, uranium, potash, and critical minerals. “The United States derives substantial economic value from Canada. We are irreplaceable,” Wilkinson asserted in a CTV News interview.  

Reports from CBC News reveal that Canadian officials have prepared a list of US-manufactured products that could face retaliatory tariffs. “This list is strategically crafted to maximize economic pressure on the United States, ensuring that President Trump reconsiders the proposed tariffs,” Wilkinson explained.