Premier Doug Ford focusing in on U.S. relations as presidential race heats up

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is “ramping up” relations with American governors and senators ahead of the U.S. presidential election and crucial renegotiations of the North American free trade deal.

Speaking at the Toronto Region Board of Trade on Thursday, Ford indicated that his government is trying to get ahead of the potential disruption by forging ties with state-level politicians in the hopes that they endorse Ontario’s new ‘buy North America’ strategy.

“We need to do everything we can to shore up our support … now more than ever before,” Ford told the audience. “We need to foster an environment of co-operation and ensure a fair, open market.”

Kory Teneycke, who serves as campaign manager for the Progressive Conservative Party, suggested the premier is concerned about a “protectionist world order that’s coming into place” and is attempting to position Ontario to be in lockstep with the U.S.

“Whether it’s (Kamala) Harris or (Donald) Trump, the decision will be for Canada: on which side of that tariff do you want to live on?” Teneycke said.

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“If we do not match what the U.S. is doing in terms of trade policy, it is going to have major repercussions for us in terms of those negotiations.”

In recent months, after the Biden administration levied a 100 per cent tariff on Chinese-made electric vehicles, Ford advocated for Canada to follow suit.

Weeks later, the Trudeau government announced it would apply an identical tariff on imports of Chinese-made electric vehicles along with a 25 per cent tariff on steel and aluminum imports from China.

To prepare for uncertainty, the government has been making a series of manoeuvres designed to keep the province one step ahead.

Ford has had meetings with the governors of Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and other top trading partners to sign “strategic investments and procurement agreements” while reminding them of the importance of the economic relationships.

“We are instrumental in employing 90 million people in the U.S.,” Ford said.

The Global and Mail recently reported that the Ford government is spending $1.3 million to hire an American lobbying firm to target U.S. lawmakers before and after the election.

Earlier this month, Ford’s deputy chief of staff, Travis Kann, was also given the responsibility of working on U.S. relations. The premier’s office appointed Kann as the new head of the Ontario-United States Engagement and Advocacy office, according to an internal memo obtained by Global News.

Kann’s role, the memo said, will focus on “enhancing the province’s economic and relational ties with the U.S. including key states.”

“This will include proactively positioning ourselves in advance of the 2024 U.S. Presidential election and the anticipated renegotiation of the Canada-United States-Mexico agreement,” Ford’s chief of staff Patrick Sackville said in the memo.

Meanwhile, Ontario’s agents-general and other representatives in Chicago, Texas, California and Washington have also been instructed to “move in the same direction” to secure the province’s interests.

For his part, Ford said he’ll continue hosting U.S. politicians at his Etobicoke home where they can “break bread” and forge political ties.

The point, Ford said, is to ensure friendly American politicians can apply pressure to the White House when Ontario needs it most.

“Yes, the president has a lot of power, but make no mistake about it, so does the premier,” Ford told Global News.