Trump Ups the Tariff War with Canada, Slamming Ottawa's Electricity Surcharge

March 11, 2025 (EIRNS)—Today President Trump responded angrily to Canada’s imposition of a 25% surcharge on electricity sold to three U.S. states—New York, Michigan, and Minnesota. Ontario ordered its grid operator, the Independent Electricity System Operation, to add a C$10 (US$7)-per-megawatt-hour surcharge to all power exported to those three states. In a message posted to Truth Social today, Trump raged that he had instructed his Commerce Secretary to add an “additional 25% tariff, to 50%” on all steel and aluminum coming into the United States from Canada, “one of the highest tariffing nations anywhere in the world. This will go into effect tomorrow morning, March 12.” Trump also announced that he would be declaring a National Emergency on Electricity within the threatened area. “This will allow the U.S to quickly do what has to be done to alleviate this abusive threat from Canada.” Should Ottawa not act to remove other “egregious” tariffs, Trump threatened, he’ll increase tariffs on cars entering the U.S. from Canada by April 2, and “shut down the automobile manufacturing business in Canada.” If Canada knows what’s good for it, he warned, it should act now to become the U.S.’s 51st state, and end all of its problems.