Doug Ford says energy surcharge remains on table but he won’t ‘antagonize’ U.S. in talks [Video]

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is keeping the possibility of reintroducing a surcharge on electricity exported to the United States in his back pocket, but says for now he doesn’t want to “antagonize” American officials.

Ford was speaking Tuesday about a meeting he had last week with U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick, calling it productive and suggesting Lutnick did not put a lot of stock in President Donald Trump’s talk of making Canada the 51st state.

“As Secretary Lutnick told us, he’s not invading Canada and all the other nonsense that’s been going on,” Ford said. “He wants to boost up Canada. It’s in their best interest, after — if I can put it bluntly — after they fill their plate.”

The premier, along with federal ministers Dominic LeBlanc and François-Philippe Champagne, met Thursday with Lutnick after Ford agreed Tuesday to suspend a 25 per cent electricity surcharge he placed …