Canada’s premiers must take a bigger role in Canada-U.S. relations, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said Monday on his way in to a meeting he is chairing with all 13 provincial and territorial leaders.
Ford has been outspoken about the need for a co-ordinated strategy in response to a threat from U.S. president-elected Donald Trump, who has said he will impose a 25 per cent import tariff on goods coming from Canada and Mexico when he takes office.
Trump has suggested that the tariffs will come into place unless both countries stop illegal border crossings and prevent drugs like fentanyl from entering the U.S.
The premiers have had virtual meetings with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to discuss the tariffs, press him for more funding on border security and plan a co-ordinated response. Monday marks the first time the premiers gather to strategize in person.
“I think it’s critical the premiers take a bigger role, because it’s going to affect each province and each territory and we’ll definitely be taking a bigger role,” Ford said.
His comments came in response to a question about whether the federal government has too many other fires to put out to focus on tariffs and the border and were made just minutes before Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland, who also served as the deputy prime minister, announced her resignation from cabinet.
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“As for the federal government, there’s a lot of stuff going on up there right now, so I’ll leave it at that, but I can assure you that the premiers will take a very big role on the negotiations,” Ford said.
Ford has come out strongly in favour of retaliatory tariffs and has threatened to in turn cut off the electricity the province supplies to several states.
But other premiers have spoken in favour of a different approach, with Alberta’s Danielle Smith saying she prefers the diplomatic route and doesn’t support retaliatory tariffs or cutting off Alberta’s oil and gas exports.
Ford said Canada-U.S. relations, energy security and health care are on the agenda for the meeting.
“With a new administration taking office in the United States, it’s never been more important for Canada’s premiers to work together to protect Canadian jobs and build up stronger partnerships on both sides of the border,” Ford wrote in a statement ahead of the meeting.
“As premiers, we’re focused on protecting jobs and attracting investment, while also continuing our work to strengthen health care, including the importance of accelerating patient access to new and life-saving medications.”
Ford has also suggested he is looking at restricting the Liquor Control Board of Ontario, one of the largest purchasers of alcohol in the world, from buying American-made alcohol.
While some premiers have spoken about different approaches to handling Trump’s tariff threat, Ford has said they are all in agreement on the need to tighten border security and that Canada should meet its commitment to spend two per cent of its GDP on national defence. Trudeau has pledged to meet that target by 2032.
“Where we differ, I was speaking very clearly for Ontario, and I still speak for Ontario,” Ford said at a Friday press conference.
“I don’t speak for the rest of the country. That’s up to the premiers. … (When) it comes to Alberta or Quebec, that’s their choice. They believe in diplomacy. Good luck.”
The Ontario premier has also said the premiers are all in agreement that Canada should pursue a bilateral trade deal with the United States, with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement up for review in 2026. He has said Mexico is becoming a “back door” to Chinese goods.
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