Whether it’s Donald Trump or Kamala Harris, Ontario Premier Doug Ford says his government will work with whoever secures the White House.
Ford made the announcement on the eve of the 2024 U.S. presidential election, and emphasized Ontario’s close economic ties not only to the country, but also to many states near and far.
“The upcoming US Presidential and Congressional elections will have a tremendous impact on the future of our district. “Regardless of the political track, we have maintained a strong economic partnership that has driven economic growth, trade, jobs and investment on both sides of the border,” he said in a video shared on Facebook on Monday.
“No matter the outcome of the election, we will continue to work together. Ontario jobs depend on it, and we will never stop working for Ontario workers.”
A “Buy Can-Am” Mentality Required: Ford
On November 5, the presidential campaign that saw a criminal trial will end, the sitting president will be removed from the ticket, and multiple assassination attempts will end. With nearly 81 per cent of Ontario’s exports going to America, the contentious race is likely to have huge ramifications for the province’s economy.
With the cost of living rising for many and a race focused on foreign trade and immigration, there is a possibility that the next president will look inward and cut back on some of Ontario’s trade deals.
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However, the Ford government was relying on strong personal relationships with conservatives and a coordinated campaign over months to keep the relationship alive whatever the outcome.
“We must avoid falling into a ‘buy Canada’ or ‘buy America’ mentality that would jeopardize our current trading relationship,” Ford said in a separate statement on Monday.
“Instead, they have embraced a ‘Buy Can-Am’ mentality that creates new jobs and opportunities for workers and businesses on both sides of the border.”
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Ford has become aware of a protectionist mentality; Shortly after Biden was elected in January 2021, Ford issued a plea for more Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines amid a shortage of doses in Canada.
When news came in March 2021 that the United States planned to send 1.5 million coronavirus vaccine doses to Canada, Ford was thrilled.
“Thank God. I was annoying Trump, I was annoying Biden — all of them. They must be tired of Doug Ford asking for help,” he said on March 18, 2021.
In August 2020, Ford criticized then-US President Trump for imposing a 10% tariff on Canadian aluminum.
“I just have to say how disappointed I am with President Trump right now,” Ford said on August 7, 2020, adding that in the middle of a pandemic, everyone had to come together, calling Trump’s actions “completely unacceptable.”
Ford campaign ideas
This is not the first time Ford has participated in the election campaign.
On August 7, Ford said he was “very pleased” with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz’s selection as Harris’ running mate in her vice presidential campaign.
Ford said he and Walz had a productive meeting at Queen’s Park just two months before the governor was asked to join the Democratic ticket.
In July, he told reporters that he was happy to see US President Joe Biden end his re-election bid amid growing calls from Democrats for him to step down. Ford then said he “felt sorry” for Biden during his lackluster performance in a June debate against Trump that raised public concerns about the 81-year-old Biden’s fitness for another four years in office.
Trump’s victory would make him the first new president to be indicted and convicted of a felony, after his trial in New York.
He will gain the power to terminate other pending federal investigations against him, and he will also become the second president in history to win non-consecutive terms in the White House, after Grover Cleveland. In the late nineteenth century.
Meanwhile, Harris is vying to become the first woman, the first Black woman and the first person of South Asian descent to reach the Oval Office — four years after she broke the same barriers in national office when she became President Joe Biden’s second-in-command.
—With files from Isaac Callan, Colin de Mello and The Associated Press
&Copy 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
