AUGUSTA — Gov. Janet Mills on Sunday addressed Canadians directly in an opinion piece in the Toronto Star, criticizing U.S. tariff policy and urging Washington to de-escalate a trade dispute she says is already hurting Maine’s economy and public safety.
Governor frames dispute as a threat to Maine livelihoods
In the op-ed, Mills described the trade fight between the United States and Canada as imposing higher costs and eroding jobs “on both sides of the border,” singling out the consequences for Maine’s seafood industry and manufacturing communities. The governor warned that retaliatory Canadian tariffs, set to take effect Sept. 8 before some changes were made, would have put a 25 percent levy on American seafood, including Maine lobster — a move she said would disproportionately harm coastal businesses and workers.
Mills also called attention to supply-chain impacts beyond fisheries. She noted that much of the municipal road salt used in the Saint John Valley and other northern Maine towns comes from Canada and said a major Canadian distributor has announced it will halt deliveries “for the foreseeable future.” With measurable snow possible as early as late September in parts of the state, Mills said the interruption could pose a risk to public safety.
‘This is no way to treat an ally,’ governor writes
“As the Governor of Maine, I want Canadians to know that the people of my state respect your proud history as an independent nation,”
The op-ed also cited comments from Ontario Premier Doug Ford, quoting his remark that President Trump was treating Canada “like Communist China,” and Mills echoed the criticism. “My friend Doug is right: this is no way to treat an ally,” she wrote, invoking what she called the Maine way of addressing disagreements — sitting down with neighbors and working through disputes rather than using coercion or intimidation.
Local impacts Mills highlights
Mills laid out several immediate and potential consequences for Maine communities:
- Seafood markets: The initial Canadian tariff schedule would have included a 25 percent tariff on American seafood, jeopardizing export revenues for Maine fisheries and processors. (That portion was later retracted.)
- Road safety supplies: Road salt supplies for northern municipalities come largely from Canada; a disruption in deliveries could affect winter road maintenance.
- Manufacturing and small businesses: Mills said tariffs are raising costs and threatening manufacturing jobs, especially in rural areas that did not start the dispute.
While the governor’s piece focused on economic and public safety vulnerabilities, she framed her appeal as both practical and diplomatic — asking Washington to de-escalate before retaliatory measures took effect and advocating for negotiation and cooperation across the border.
What remains public and what changed
The op-ed reiterated concerns about earlier U.S. tariffs that affected Canadian trade and referenced the potential Sept. 8 effective date for Canada’s retaliatory schedule. The initial Canadian list included a 25 percent tariff on some U.S. seafood products, though that portion has since been withdrawn. Mills stressed that the harm from the administration’s shifting trade policies reaches beyond Canada to global partners and domestic industries.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Publication | Toronto Star |
| Key concern | Tariffs threatening lobster and other seafood, road salt deliveries |
| Retaliatory effective date | Sept. 8 (as cited in the op-ed) |
| Seafood tariff mentioned | 25% (initially included, later retracted) |
Reactions and next steps
Mills positioned her letter as a call for Washington to reconsider its approach and for federal officials to pursue negotiation rather than escalation. She framed the issue as one that transcends partisan politics, placing emphasis on effects to workers, small-business owners and rural communities throughout Maine.
Her public appeal to Canadian readers — published in that country’s largest-circulation daily — signals an outreach strategy aimed at rallying attention from both the affected cross-border communities and Canadian policymakers. By raising the profile of local vulnerabilities, the governor’s office appears to be seeking leverage to influence federal policy discussions in Washington.
For Maine residents and municipal officials, the near-term focus will be on monitoring supply-chain developments, ensuring contingency plans for winter road treatment, and tracking any new federal or international actions that could offset damages to fisheries and manufacturing.
Gov. Mills’ op-ed underscores the intertwined economic and logistical ties between Maine and its Canadian neighbors and the potential ripple effects when those ties are disrupted.
