Focus of Trump tariffs should be China, Mexico — not Canada: Ford

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OTTAWA — President-elect Donald Trump’s tariffs threats should be directed at China and Mexico, Premier Doug Ford told an American news channel Wednesday.

Speaking to Fox News Channel host Neil Cavuto, Ford said Trump should be celebrating the mutual strength that comes out of a sound and meaningful alliance between Canada and the United States.

“We’ve always had an incredible relationship between Canada and the U.S., and we want to continue that,” Ford said.

“We want to make sure that we build a ‘CanAm fortress’ per se, if you want to call it that, and the real focus should be on China. It should be on Mexico.”

Chinese firms often use Mexico as a means to circumvent North American trade tariffs, sending incomplete goods there for final completion with a “made-in-Mexico” label.

“It’s costing Mexicans and Canadians jobs, that’s what we should focus on, we’re so much stronger together,” Ford said.

Ford said it’s unfortunate that Canada’s being put into the same trade penalty box as China, considering what a vital trade partner Canada is to the U.S.

“I think it’s unfortunate, considering Canada does $1.3 trillion dollars of trade — more than China, Japan, the U.K .and France combined. Ontario alone does $500 billion of two-way trade, and I might add is equally split down the centre,” he said.

“We’re a big auto province, and parts can go back and forth across the border up to eight times. The supply chain’s very connected.”

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Ford noted China’s new bans this week on exporting critical minerals to the United States, saying Ontario’s growing industry is ready to step in.

“I don’t want to give them to anyone, but I tell you one thing, I want to give them to the U.S. to support them,” he said.

When asked if Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s visit last week to dine with Trump at Mar-a-lago was a mistake, Ford said it highlighted the two nation’s special relationship.

“I don’t think it was a mistake at all,” Ford said.

“Right now it’s Team Canada, and I’m glad the prime minister went down there, the first leader of the G7 to come and visit President-elect Trump.”

Ford attributed Trump’s ribbing about Canada becoming the 51st U.S. state to the president-elect’s sense of humour, joking himself that Trump must still be holding a grudge over British troops burning down the White House during the War of 1812.

bpassifiume@postmedia.com
X: @bryanpassifiume