Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday June 15, 2018
‘It will be very difficult’: Ontario’s Doug Ford faces uphill battle amid NAFTA troubles, Trump’s tariffs
Doug Ford pledged to stand united with the federal government in its heated trade dispute with the United States as the beleaguered NAFTA talks become a “critical” issue for his new government.
April 20, 2018
“The stakes are high,” Ontario’s premier-designate told reporters following a meeting with auto and steel industry representatives Wednesday. “Thousands of jobs rely on the outcome of these talks. Thousands of Ontario families are counting on us to defend their interests.”
The U.S. struck out at Canada last month with tariffs of 25 per cent on steel and 10 per cent on aluminum. Hours later, Canada announced retaliatory tariffs on $16.6 billion of U.S.-made steel, aluminum and a range of other goods. Relations have been on a downward course since then, with Trump calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau “weak and dishonest” in a Twitter post, apparently after he was angered by a G7 press conference in which Trudeau restated his objections to the U.S. Levies.
June 18, 2016
Ford said the “name-calling” was “not acceptable whatsoever.”
“I want to be very clear: we stand shoulder to shoulder with our federal counterparts,” he said.
As the Canada-U.S. dispute deepens, analysts say Ford will have his work cut out for him as he strives to deliver on his campaign promises amid weakened provincial finances and an increasingly uncertain business environment. (Source: Financial Post)