The leader of Canada's most populous province of Ontario said Friday he will be calling an election next week because he needs a mandate to fight U.S. President Donald Trump's threatened tariffs. Conservative Premier Doug Ford said he will call an early election next Wednesday.

Doug Ford, Ontario’s Conservative leader, has recently said that President Trump was “going to try to devastate our country” with a plan to impose tariffs on Canadian exports.

The President has proposed imposing 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada starting February 1st. During an Oval Office address this week, Trump cited concerns about border issues and drug trafficking.

Trump pledged in his inaugural address that tariffs would be coming in a speech in which he promised a golden era for America. He later said Canada and Mexico could be hit with the tariffs as soon as Feb. 1, though he signed an executive order requesting a report coordinated by the Secretary of Commerce by April. 1.

Trump retook the Oval Office on Monday afternoon and has long threatened to introduce a 25% tariff on all Canadian and Mexican imports, unless both countries secure their borders against illegal migrants and drugs, on the first day of his administration.

The leader of Ontario said Jan. 24 he will be calling an election next week because he needs a mandate to fight U.S. President Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs.

Ontario’s premier is calling an early election, saying his government needs a fresh mandate to push back against potential tariffs from US President Donald Trump.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford plans to call a snap election Wednesday, using the threat of 25 per cent tariffs from U.S. President Donald Trump as a justification. Opposition parties say early election is not necessary.