Snap election doesn’t leave Ontario vulnerable amid tariff threat, Doug Ford insists

Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford insists Ontario is not susceptible during a drawback predetermination run helium called arsenic a imaginable commercialized warfare with the United States looms.

But Ford warned Saturday of hard times up should U.S. President Donald Trump marque bully connected his vow to enforce 25 per cent tariffs connected Canadian goods.

Ford called the predetermination this past week.

He justified it by saying helium needs a caller mandate from Ontarians successful bid to walk tens of billions of dollars to assistance radical during a commercialized war, should it arise.

The Premier dissolved the provincial parliament connected Tuesday, meaning bills cannot beryllium passed into instrumentality until the enactment of a caller government. The drawback predetermination is acceptable for Feb. 27 and could outgo taxpayers arsenic overmuch arsenic $189 million.

Yet the state is not weak, Ford said astatine a frigid Saturday greeting run halt successful Brampton, Ont.

“It’s going to springiness america much strength, much certainty, due to the fact that close present the lone happening definite with President Trump is uncertainty, and erstwhile you person a four-year beardown mandate, that gives america a batch much spot erstwhile we’re negotiating,” helium said.

Ford spoke arsenic if the tariffs were a done deal.

The White House said Friday that tariffs connected products from Canada, Mexico and China were coming Saturday, but they had not yet materialized erstwhile Ford made his run stop.

Trump is targeting Ontario’s car assemblage with the tariffs, saying helium doesn’t request oregon privation Canadian-made cars. He wants those cars to beryllium made successful the U.S.

During his past term, Trump signed the astir caller escaped commercialized woody betwixt the 2 countries and Mexico, which specifically carved retired an automotive agreement. Cars, parts and earthy materials are shipped backmost and distant crossed the Canada-U.S. borderline aggregate times arsenic they are built.

Trump present wants to rip up that deal.

Should tariffs spell through, Ontarians volition consciousness the symptom quickly, Ford said.

“The interaction of these tariffs volition beryllium felt astir immediately. Companies’ orders are going to dilatory down, factories volition person to trim shifts, workers whitethorn suffer their jobs.”

Opposition leaders person accused Ford of calling the aboriginal predetermination up of the June 2026 fixed day to instrumentality vantage of bully polling numbers and get retired up of this year’s national election. They accidental helium is utilizing Trump’s tariff threats arsenic an excuse for idiosyncratic gain.

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Ford insists helium tin inactive enactment arsenic sitting premier portion campaigning and has 2 trips to Washington, D.C., planned for February that helium said would beryllium paid for by the PC Party.

Ford sidestepped questions Saturday astir whether helium would beryllium capable to instrumentality his “economic enactment plan” to respond to tariffs during the campaign.

But helium has said it volition beryllium the electorate’s determination whether to determination guardant with the measures, implying they volition travel aft the predetermination should helium win.

Part of the program includes a $22-billion stimulus bundle to physique infrastructure, which Ford has said would spell up careless of Trump’s moves.

NDP Leader Marit Stiles said Ford should not person called a drawback election.

“A premier doesn’t discontinue his occupation erstwhile we’re being plunged into a situation similar this,” Stiles said astatine a run halt successful Toronto.

“So helium decided to discontinue his job. I’m moving to beryllium premier of this state and I’m going to combat for each azygous job, each azygous idiosyncratic successful each azygous assemblage successful this province.”

Liberal Leader Bonnie Crombie’s run said Saturday that Ford’s efforts to forestall tariffs person been a nonaccomplishment frankincense far.

Crombie was besides campaigning successful Toronto connected Saturday.

Meanwhile, Green Party Leader Mike Schreiner was door-knocking successful Kitchener, Ont., and supporting his lawman leader’s re-election campaign.

— With files from Maan Alhmidi successful Brampton, Ont.

This study by The Canadian Press was archetypal published Feb. 1, 2025.