It took just one meeting with Lutnick to reverse his strong stance and start saying:
Mr. Ford insisted Mr. Lutnick somehow wants to “boost up” Canada, despite Mr. Trump’s repeated threats of annexation and tariffs that could cripple Canada’s U.S.-trade-dependent economy.
…
“They aren’t coming into our country to take over, I’ll tell you that,” Mr. Ford said. “I kind of flip this around. What a compliment. We’ll never be a 51st state. Canada’s not for sale. But isn’t it nice that someone thinks we have the greatest country world, and they want access?”
…
The Premier’s comments follow last week’s high-stakes trade drama, in which he backed down from imposing a 25-per-cent surcharge on his province’s electricity exports to the U.S. Mr. Ford’s move prompted a vehement reaction from Mr. Trump, who immediately threatened to double the 25-per-cent duties he was about to impose on Canadian steel and aluminum.
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-trump-tariffs-doug-ford-response/
What matters is reaction after April 2, and so this posturing now may not matter, as long as a mission to win the trade war is adopted after “harsh US tariffs on April 2”
Winning the trade war is saving the Canadian auto industry, including ensuring Canadian auto production during the trade war. This can be done by making US energy and materials more expensive through export tariffs, and using export tariff revenue to subsidize materials and energy to Canadian/Ontario manufacturing. Pausing all military cooperation, and election interference/foreign policy propaganda, with US.
If resistance is just gaslighting, and Ford/Canada is willing to sacrifice auto industry, pivoting to China for better value cars, including FDI by China for charging infrastructure, or even better factories, must be a threat to US/auto industry to never sell another vehicle in Canada if they don’t do the right thing.
Inflicting maximum pain on US economy, while helping Canadians, is only path to make trade war short, or affecting US midterms, if US depression is ignored.
Ultimately, yes. But I don’t think the self appointed trade negotiator for Ontario performing an about-face on language (and the threat to add an export surcharge on electricity exports) helps national resolve.
Agreed. That’s why I was surprised to see Ford back down on the energy surcharge so quickly. I’m really curious what happened during Ford’s meeting with Lutnick. I’m assuming Ford got schooled, but it’s hard to know. Regardless, he’s certainly changed his tune.
article does say Ford “is keeping electricity export tax on the table”. Everyone cowering to Trump seems to be the tactic for now for whole world. April 2 reaction is the important time to see if they stand up.
There was article detailing that posted here. It was extremely embarassing. Good cop Lutnick making sweet nothing promises that bad cop Trump is not bound to. Ford looking naive for praising it, but again, reaction april 2 all that matters.