{"id":15024,"date":"2025-02-04T05:50:07","date_gmt":"2025-02-04T05:50:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/02\/04\/musk-starlink-deal-with-ontario-government-back-on-hours-after-threat-to-rip-it-up\/"},"modified":"2025-02-04T05:50:07","modified_gmt":"2025-02-04T05:50:07","slug":"musk-starlink-deal-with-ontario-government-back-on-hours-after-threat-to-rip-it-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/torontotribune.ca\/index.php\/2025\/02\/04\/musk-starlink-deal-with-ontario-government-back-on-hours-after-threat-to-rip-it-up\/","title":{"rendered":"Musk Starlink deal with Ontario government back on hours after threat to rip it up"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Ontario Progressive Conservative Party Leader Doug Ford<\/a> has put his short-lived promise to cancel a $100 million contract with Elon Musk\u2019s<\/a> Starlink on ice after U.S. President Donald Trump suspended his tariff threat.<\/p>\n

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In a Monday morning statement, Ford had said the Ontario government would be \u201cripping up\u201d a contract signed to provide high-speed internet to northern and rural communities.<\/p>\n

The move was part of the PC leader\u2019s pitch for immediate measures against U.S. tariffs, which were due to land on Tuesday. He also outlined how he would handle the threat of Trump and tariffs if he is re-elected.<\/p>\n

Late on Monday, however, cancelling the Starlink deal was paused.<\/p>\n

During the afternoon, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced tariffs had been halted for 30 days, a pause designed to allow his government and Trump\u2019s to come to an agreement on issues like the border.<\/p>\n

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In the face of the pause, Ford\u2019s team said Ontario\u2019s retaliatory measures would also be rolled back.<\/p>\n

Asked if that meant the Starlink contract would proceed by Global News, a Progressive Conservative spokesperson replied, \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n

American alcohol will also no longer be removed from the shelves of Ontario\u2019s liquor stores. The Starlink contract would still be cancelled, and booze removed, if tariffs do come into effect, according to the PCs.<\/p>\n

Ford initially said the contract would be cancelled in a social media post on Monday morning listing the ways in which Ontario would respond to U.S. tariffs.<\/p>\n

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He referenced plans the federal government had for retaliatory tariffs and his own decision to remove U.S. booze from the shelves of the LCBO. Starlink was also set to be cancelled.<\/p>\n

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\u201cWe\u2019ll be ripping up the province\u2019s contract with Starlink,\u201d he wrote. \u201cOntario won\u2019t do business with people hellbent on destroying our economy.\u201d<\/p>\n

In November 2024, Ford\u2019s government signed the deal<\/a> with Starlink so it could run a satellite-based internet program for roughly 15,000 households and businesses starting in June.<\/p>\n

Explaining the planned cancellation on Monday, Ford said, \u201cWe haven\u2019t paid a penny\u201d to Starlink, adding \u201cwe have a great deal\u201d should the contract pullout be challenged because \u201che broke a trade deal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going to support someone that is hellbent on destroying our province, destroying people\u2019s families, taking jobs away from them,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re done with that. We never started this fight whatsoever, but we\u2019re going to win this fight.\u201d<\/p>\n

When the cancellation was announced, Musk, the world\u2019s richest man, claimed not to be bothered.<\/p>\n

\u201cOh well,\u201d he said in a post on his social media platform, X.<\/p>\n

Then, before 5 p.m., the tariff threat was paused and Ford\u2019s team said they would not be putting in place retaliatory measures.<\/p>\n

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\n\t\t\t\tCalls remain to cancel project\t\t\t<\/h2>\n<\/p><\/div>\n