Doug Ford urges feds to embrace ‘Buy Can-Am’ approach to politics

Premier Doug Ford is urging the federal government to take action to strengthen its relationship with the United States by matching Washington’s ban on Chinese vehicle software and pausing the Digital Services Tax.

Speaking at the Empire Club of Canada on Thursday, the premier touted his government’s “full court press” attempt at rejecting protectionism and embracing a “‘Buy Can-Am’ mentality.”

“Ontario is uniquely positioned to support America’s economic growth and its national security objectives,” Ford said. “With this kind of approach, we’re encouraging U.S. lawmakers to think big, to build fortress North America and bet big on the U.S.-Ontario relationship.”

In particular, the premier called out the feds for not immediately matching a U.S. ban on Chinese vehicle software  — something the feds have said they are open to. 

Federal consultations on further surtaxes on products like batteries, critical minerals and semiconductors wrapped up last week.

Ford also renewed his calls for a pause on the Digital Services Tax (DST), which forces large tech companies to pay a three per cent levy on revenue from Canadian users. The federal government anticipates this will bring in billions in new revenue; however, the DST has received criticism from the Canadian Chamber of Commerce and the U.S. is challenging it under the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA).

“They’re furious with Canada over even considering what they view as an unfair tax on American companies,” Ford said Thursday, noting that both Democrats and Republicans are united in this view.

“Putting aside the fact that I’ll never support bringing in a new tax no matter what it is, we cannot put millions of Canadian jobs and our historic economic partnership with the U.S. at risk because of a stubborn refusal to listen to the concerns of our American friends.”

It’s not new rhetoric. Throughout the summer, Ford has made it clear that his staff are forming a cross-border strategy ahead of the next presidential election and the renegotiation of the CUSMA, which is set for 2026.

The premier has been meeting with state governors and sending delegations across the border for months. For example, Energy Minister Stephen Lecce met with the assistant secretary of energy during the Nuclear Energy Policy Forum — which took place during the NATO summit in the U.S. — to discuss how to move electricity “at a higher scale into the U.S. market.”

Ford’s deputy chief of strategy and communications Travis Kahn was also recently appointed as the “Head of Ontario-U.S. Engagement and Advocacy” and the province reportedly spent $1.3 million to hire an American lobbying firm to promote provincial interests during the next U.S. administration.

“We cannot risk finding ourselves outsiders looking in,” the premier said at the Empire Club.

The U.S. presidential election is set for Nov. 5.

Ford told Governor Tim Walz to run for president

Speaking at a fireside chat after his speech, Ford recalled a moment when now-Democratic nominee for vice president Tim Walz came to Ontario for a meeting and the two were tossing a football around. 

“I said, ‘Governor Walz, you should run for president.’ And three weeks, four weeks later, he's the running mate to Kamala Harris,” he said. 

Ford said that meeting with governors one-on-one makes it easier to “pick up the phone and call them and just work things out.” 

“They're very close allies. I love the U.S., and we're going to work hand in hand with them.”

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland’s office said in a statement to The Trillium that the feds have “a close, productive relationship” with the United States on defence, climate, jobs and economic growth. 

Her office did not specifically respond to Ford’s Thursday comments.