
Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday November 22, 2024
Doug Ford’s EV Gamble Meets Trump’s Fossil-Fuelled Reality

November 16, 2024
Doug Ford has staked Ontario’s future on becoming a leader in the electric vehicle (EV) revolution. Billions of dollars are flowing into the province to build an end-to-end EV supply chain, from mining critical minerals in the north to producing batteries and manufacturing cars in the south. Ford has presented this vision as not just a green initiative, but an economic transformation that will secure Ontario’s place in the future of North American industry. It’s a bold strategy—but one that now faces an existential threat from south of the border.
Donald Trump’s return to the White House throws Ford’s EV ambitions into turmoil. Trump has made no secret of his disdain for green energy and EV subsidies, instead doubling down on fossil fuels and dismantling environmental policies. His pledge to potentially unravel the Inflation Reduction Act—a cornerstone of U.S. EV incentives—sends a chilling message to Ontario’s automakers and mineral producers. For Ford, whose plan hinges on cross-border integration and growing demand for EVs in the U.S., this is a crisis in the making.
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November 23, 2016
Compounding the challenge is Trump’s choice for U.S. ambassador to Canada, Pete Hoekstra. A former Michigan congressman and Trump loyalist, Hoekstra has a track record of opposing government support for EVs. While his Michigan roots suggest familiarity with cross-border trade, his alignment with Trump’s energy priorities raises serious concerns. Hoekstra is likely to advocate for an “America First” energy strategy that sidelines green technology in favour of fossil fuels. This could place Ontario’s massive EV investments at odds with the economic and political direction of its largest trading partner.
Ford, to his credit, is not sitting idly by. His government’s announced “charm offensive” in the U.S. aims to highlight Ontario’s critical minerals, energy resources, and role as a key supplier for American industries. It’s a calculated move to remind U.S. decision-makers that economic cooperation with Ontario is in their best interest. Yet Ford has been here before. During Trump’s first term, he lobbied fiercely against steel and aluminum tariffs, only to see Trump impose them anyway. It was only after Canada responded with retaliatory measures that the tariffs were lifted. If history is any guide, Trump’s administration is unlikely to be swayed by charm alone.
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October 16, 2020
The stakes are higher now. EVs represent a generational opportunity for Ontario, one that Ford and Ottawa have both heavily invested in. A rollback of U.S. EV subsidies could shrink the market for Ontario’s batteries and vehicles, leaving its nascent supply chain vulnerable. Even worse, if Trump’s administration turns protectionist on critical minerals—seeking to hoard U.S. resources or impose tariffs on Canadian imports—Ontario’s leverage as a supplier could evaporate.
There’s also a glaring political dynamic at play. Ford has been an outspoken advocate for EVs, confidently asserting that they are “the way of the future.” But his federal Conservative counterparts, led by Pierre Poilievre, have largely stayed quiet on the issue. Poilievre, often quick to criticize Liberal policies, has not addressed the potential collision between Ford’s EV strategy and Trump’s energy agenda. This silence suggests a tactical calculation, but it also leaves a leadership void. If Trump’s policies threaten to undermine Ontario’s investments, federal Conservatives will need to articulate how they plan to safeguard Canadian jobs and industry while maintaining a working relationship with the White House.
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May 4, 2022
The friction between Canada and the U.S. over EVs is poised to become a major flashpoint in the coming years. Trump’s approach to energy and trade, combined with Hoekstra’s likely advocacy for fossil fuel priorities, sets up a potential conflict with Canada’s push for a green transition. Ford’s efforts to build an EV economy may not align with Trump’s vision for America, creating challenges not just for Ontario but for Canada as a whole.
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Ford’s strategy is not without merit. His efforts to position Ontario as a critical player in the EV market demonstrate a boldness that has been lacking at the federal level. But this is also a gamble. If Trump’s policies derail North America’s EV momentum, Ford risks being left with stranded investments and a crumbling vision. Ontario’s charm offensive may buy goodwill, but history suggests that Trump’s administration respects strength more than persuasion. Ford must be prepared to fight for Ontario’s interests, using every tool at his disposal—including federal collaboration, retaliatory measures, and a pivot to other markets if necessary.
Ontario’s EV revolution is a bet on the future, one that could pay dividends for generations. But with Trump’s America pulling in a different direction, Ford’s gamble may become the defining test of his premiership. For Canada and Ontario, the stakes could not be higher.
Doug Ford has poured everything into making Ontario a leader in electric vehicles. Working closely with the Trudeau government, he’s helped bring in billions from automakers like Volkswagen, Stellantis, and Honda to set up shop in the province. Together, they’ve built an EV dream: mining minerals up north, building batteries down south, and creating thousands of jobs along the way.
For a while, it looked like everything was going smoothly—partisan bickering aside, the province and feds were actually working together for once. But now Donald Trump is back, and his return could blow up Ford’s plans.
Trump doesn’t care about EVs. He’s all about oil, gas, and “drill, baby, drill.” His talk about scrapping U.S. EV subsidies has automakers nervous, and Ontario’s entire plan depends on a strong American EV market. To make things worse, Trump just picked Pete Hoekstra, a guy who’s openly against EV subsidies, to be the next U.S. ambassador to Canada.
Ford’s doing his best to butter up Trump’s team with a “charm offensive,” but it’s a risky move. We’ve seen this movie before—Ford tried playing nice with Trump during his first term, and it still ended with tariffs on Ontario steel and aluminum.
If Trump follows through on his anti-EV agenda, Ontario’s big investments could be in serious trouble. Ford’s carefully built EV strategy might collapse, leaving taxpayers holding the bag and thousands of jobs at risk.
Ford is betting big on Trump playing along. But if this gamble doesn’t work, it won’t just be Ford’s reputation on the line—it’ll be Ontario’s economic future.
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