Ontario Premier Doug Ford is standing his ground in his quest for a fair trade deal, countering recent insults from U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick with a broader view that free trade benefits both Canada and the United States.
Ford's Defiant Response
In an interview with CNN's Wolf Blitzer, Ford proclaimed the love Canadians have for Americans and expressed understanding that Americans also love Canadians. However, that did not change his defiant response to Lutnick's disparaging comments on Wednesday ahead of Canada-U.S.-Mexico trade negotiations.
“Mr. Lutnick can say whatever he wants,” Ford said in the CNN interview. “We just have to move forward and make a deal.”
Ford addressed allegations that Canada has taken advantage of the U.S. by citing numbers about any imbalance favoring Canada. “If we didn't ship four million barrels down to keep people moving in their cars and trucks, there'd be a $30-million (American) surplus,” he argued.
Regarding U.S. trade interactions with Ontario, he stated that “nine million Americans wake up every morning to produce a product or service just for Ontario. And the more tariffs that come, you're just taxing American people.” Listing oil, cars, and goods sold to the U.S., he argued that the cost of “everything is increasing because of the tariffs.”
Ford advocated for an even better trade deal than the one already in place. Contrary to Lutnick's recent insults, such as saying Canadians “suck,” Ford countered: “We won't be calling you names. I can guarantee that.”
Lutnick Scolded by U.S. Senator
As previously reported by National Post, there was a tense exchange Wednesday between Lutnick and U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen during his testimony before the Senate appropriations subcommittee. Shaheen, a Democratic senator from New Hampshire since 2009 and former governor, noted that tourism is the second-largest industry in New Hampshire but has suffered with a decline in international visitors, particularly from Canada, which fell 30 percent last year.
She pinned the drop on “the loss of trust and goodwill because of this administration's rhetoric around Canada … and because of the insults from (the) president, and comments like yours.” Shaheen insisted that a good trade deal will be predicated on good relations: “We are not going to get agreement when we keep insulting people. When we have allies and partners, we should try and work with them, not insult them.”
They clashed over the decision by Canadian provinces not to stock U.S. alcohol on provincial liquor store shelves following U.S. tariffs. Lutnick called the policy “insulting and disrespectful to America.”
Asked about that, Ford said: “What's disrespectful is we never started this trade war.” Nor did the American people, he added. Instead, he insisted it was Lutnick and Trump “who attacked our joint economies … we are so integrated.”
He illustrated that by pointing to the positive impact of Canadian oil and uranium for the American energy economy, as well as Ontario nickel for U.S. manufacturing. He also noted that Ontario sends electricity to 1.5 million homes and businesses in New York state, Michigan, and Minnesota.
On social media, Ford posted: “I'll never back down from fighting for a fair trade deal that helps workers and families on both sides of the border.”
