Premiers united in fight against threatened tariffs despite ‘chaos’ in Ottawa: Ford

By Liam Casey and Allison Jones, The Canadian Press on December 16, 2024.

Canada's premiers are meeting in Toronto today, and cross-border trade is topping the agenda, on the heels of a tariff threat from U.S. president-elect Donald Trump. Ontario Premier Doug Ford steps out of an office to speak to the media at the Ontario Legislature in Toronto on Wednesday December 11, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

TORONTO – Ontario Premier Doug Ford says following a meeting with all of Canada’s premiers today, the provincial and territorial leaders will remain united as “Team Canada” in the face of a tariff threat from the United States, despite the “chaos” in Ottawa.

The meeting of the 13 premiers, chaired by Ford, took place the same day as Chrystia Freeland resigned as federal finance minister, before she was set to present her government’s fall economic statement.

One of the main topics of today’s premiers’ meeting was to discuss a threat from U.S. president-elected Donald Trump, who has said he would impose a 25 per cent import tariff on goods coming from Canada and Mexico when he takes office.

Ford says it is critical the premiers take a bigger role, as tariffs would affect each province and territory.

Ford says no matter what is happening in Ottawa, the premiers will be on hand to provide “steady and stable leadership.”

He is calling on the federal government to do a better job of engaging premiers on a strategy to fight back against threatened tariffs, and says the provincial and territorial leaders are planning a premiers’ mission to Washington, D.C., in February.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 16, 2024.