Premier Doug Ford has expressed strong support for Prime Minister Mark Carney following Carney's decision to withdraw from trade negotiations that Ford described as a "bad deal" for Ontario's auto and steel industries. Speaking on Saturday, Ford highlighted the challenging situation Carney faced and praised him for choosing to walk away from the talks.

Ford emphasized his belief that the proposed deal would have been detrimental to Ontario, pointing out that such agreements could have long-lasting implications that might stretch far into the future. "Once you make these deals, they can last for years and years and go into decades," he remarked.

In his letter to Carney dated August 17, which was obtained by CityNews, Ford advocated for a strategy that includes implementing tariffs in retaliation to the United States’ trade policies. He proposed that Canada respond "tariff-for-tariff, dollar-for-dollar" and urged the Prime Minister to consider levying strategic tariffs on imports from "politically significant states" that support the current U.S. administration, specifically naming Alabama, Florida, Texas, and Wisconsin in his correspondence.

Ford assertively stated, "Products from these states should face the full force of Canada’s response," while also encouraging Carney to leverage Ontario's unique assets, such as electricity and critical minerals, in trade discussions.

While acknowledging that the implementation of new tariffs might be challenging, Ford pointed to Ontario's robust economic performance. He highlighted recent figures indicating that over 50,000 new jobs had been created in the province over the last four months, showcasing a "strong, vibrant and diversified economy."

Without going into specific details, Ford reassured that the provincial government would provide support for workers who could be adversely affected by the new tariffs. "We need to support these sectors; we have to make sure that they’re viable, not just for the short term but for the long term," he said, expressing confidence after discussions with various stakeholders, including CEOs from the auto and steel sectors as well as labor unions like Unifor.

In addition to his comments regarding trade, Ford called on fellow provincial leaders to unite in their approach to the Trump administration. He stressed the importance of maintaining a "Team Canada" approach to tackle the challenges posed by U.S. trade policies, saying, "We have to use every tool in our toolbox to make sure as Donald Trump is trying to inflict pain on every Canadian, that we inflict pain right back."

Ford did not miss the opportunity to criticize Trump, characterizing him as untrustworthy and likening his tactics to those of a schoolyard bully who steals lunch money. "We never started this fight, but I can assure you, we're going to win this fight," he declared, reinforcing his stance against the U.S. administration's trade actions.