“The Americans are waking up to the reality that they are dependent on China for critical minerals, and they need an alternative,” Lecce said. “Ontario is the answer.”
A day before President Trump is poised to announce tariffs that experts say will harm the economy in both countries, Ontario’s Energy and Mines Minister Stephen Lecce went to D.C. trying to position the province as Washington’s most reliable partner.
“The Americans are waking up to the reality that they are dependent on China for critical minerals, and they need an alternative,” Lecce said. “Ontario is the answer.” Minister Lecce attended the SAFE Summit in Washington, a meeting with the global leaders in energy, transportation and supply chain.
With the U.S. scrambling to secure resources like nickel and cobalt, essential for electric vehicle batteries and defense technology, Ontario is stepping up its pitch. The minister said China is intentionally ending all exports of rare earth to critical minerals to the US for military applications. Lecce said that the province has the minerals the U.S. needs, coupled with a stable regulatory environment and close economic ties.
For the rest of this article: https://www.ipolitics.ca/news/minister-lecce-talks-about-his-new-expanded-portfolio-meetings-in-washington