All 13 of Canada’s premiers have descended upon Washington in an unprecedented effort to remind American officials that their northern neighbour is a pivotal partner as the US weighs imposing tariffs on Canadian imports.
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Led by Ontario Premier Doug Ford, the high-profile show of concern features a pitch to enlist Canadian provinces as the US seeks, in Ford’s words, a “decoupling from China and its global proxies”.
“Doing so will be no easy task,” Ford told a gathering of the US Chamber of Commerce in Washington on Tuesday.
“It will require long-term thinking, it will require dedication, and most of all, it will require friends and allies like Canada and Ontario, and I can tell you, Canada is here to help,” he said.
Calling China the “common economic enemy”, Ford invoked familiar US proposals for Canada to adopt, such as ending Chinese transshipments through Mexico as well as matching or exceeding American tariffs on mainland products, including EVs, batteries, aluminium and steel.
He also urged protections against Chinese investment and ownership in strategic sectors like critical minerals and energy, including a “robust” coordinated investment-screening process.
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