A Canadian premier delivering a commencement speech at an American university isn’t exactly standard, but Doug Ford leaned into the moment, even acknowledging the obvious question: why him?
The Ontario premier received an honorary doctorate from Saginaw Valley State University in Michigan on Saturday, where he delivered a commencement address to graduating students, pitching his vision to heal frayed ties between Canada and the United States.
Wearing a black cap and gown, Ford used the speech to reflect on his time living and working in the United States, telling graduates he spent nearly two decades building his family’s printing business south of the border.
“Our success, our prosperity, is not an accident,” he said. “It’s the result of more than 200 years of work on both sides of the border.”
But Ford also used the moment to warn that those ties are being tested.
“Over the last year and a half, that partnership between the U.S. and Canada has been tested by tariffs and trade wars,” he said, adding the relationship has been “strained” and “shaken and undermined.”
“Protectionism has never worked in the history of the world and it won’t work now,” he said.
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Ford highlighted former U.S. president Ronald Reagan’s criticism of tariffs when he argued, “Markets shrink and collapse. Businesses and industries shut down and millions of people lose their jobs.”
Ford has positioned himself as a vocal critic of U.S. tariffs in recent months, launching an anti-tariff ad campaign in American markets last October and briefly imposing a tariff on electricity exports, then suspendingit.
In his address, Ford stressed how deeply interconnected the two countries remain, stating “our economies, our cultures are so closely linked,” with millions of workers relying on cross-border trade.
“I always say, folks, we can’t unscramble an egg, we can only make that omelet larger,” Ford added.
The university’s president, George Grant Jr., called Ford a friend and thanked him for supporting strong partnerships across the Great Lakes region.
Despite those tensions, Ford ended his speech on a more personal note, telling the audience, “never ever forget the importance of teamwork, of relationships, and of loyalty … these are the attributes that will make you succeed,” as they move into the next stage of their lives.
In the 21st century, we should be questioning all politicians of all stripes. It seems that the checks and balances that once existed have been cast aside. Nowadays the “media” is willing to spin on behalf of the hand that feeds them.
@ Anonymous – So is your point that she should explain she’s mad at something that happened in 2013? It looks like your example shows that the Privacy Commissioner did their job.
I think what Dee is getting at, and correct me if I’m wrong, is that Doug Ford isn’t actually honest.
I find it hard to believe that American’s like Doug Ford. I find it harder to believe that they actually know who he is.
Dee – Do you remember setting your hair on fire when the Privacy Commissioner charge Liberal Premier Wynne with misleading the public with the 585 million scandal in 2013 & two aides were charged in criminal court for deleting emails? Or is your outrage selective for Ford only?
His doctoral in basket weaving must have been paid for
Atta boy Dougy!
Flip flop fat pos. Doesnt know which way his are, up or down.
What a slap in the face to the hard working graduates to have a charlatan like Lard Ford address them.
@Laurie W
99.9% of Americans would have no clue who Doug Ford is.
Just drop Supply Management and Canada’s unfair dairy and poultry tariffs against the USA and I am sure we can make a deal with the USA and we can go on with our lives
@Laurie he may be honest over there on this particular issue, but he is far from honest in Ontario on other issues. Hard to say you’re honest when you have a night time legislative meeting, so you can change the freedom of information act law, so he and his cabinet can hide records from the public. @Paul we have a trade deficit with the US due to the energy, which accounts for almost all of the deficit, take that out of the equation and the US has a trade surplus of 60 billion dollars. We buy more products and manufactured goods from the US , then they buy from us.
It was an honourary degree . Shameful to call him dr. Maybe an FOI request could find the financial connection between Ford and an American College that creates educational curriculum for elementary schools.
Doug already forgot that tariffs were because of a trade deficit and put on all countries with a deficit.
Everyone else made a deal, but Canada feels it is entitled to a trade deficit.
We proved we are as good of a friend to the US as China.
Bans usa alcohol, but travels to Michigan to get his award…. True politician
Having spend several months recently in the USA, I can say definitely that Americans like Doug Ford, whether they are ordinary citizens, the media or a mayor or governor. They relate to his unaffected personality, his honest & plain speaking and his passion for Canada and free trade between the countries. The anti-Ford nitpickers just don’t get his unrehearsed and unpretentious regular guy natural way of direct reactions.
Lard Ford is an embarrassment. Did he pour out a bottle of crown royal and then started bootlicking his master Carney.
We can thank Ford for poisoning the relationship with the USA.
I feel sorry for the graduates who had to watch Doug Ford try to speak coherently. I do hope that relations between the United States Of America and Canada can improve. It’s difficult to see that happening anytime soon.