EDITOR’S NOTE: This article originally appeared on The Trillium, a Village Media website devoted to covering provincial politics at Queen’s Park.
Doug Ford went down to Washington, D.C. Friday, the second trip during his re-election campaign, in hopes of convincing American governors of the value of free trade with Canada, so that they will share that message with U.S. President Donald Trump.
But there's no clear sign that his charm offensive is working, particularly when it comes to the Republicans who might have the president's ear.
Ford had meetings scheduled with three governors — the Democratic leaders of New York and Virginia, and the Republican Governor of Georgia, Brian Kemp. He also spoke with the Canadian Ambassador to the U.S., Kirsten Hillman, and an industry group, the Alliance for Automotive Innovation.
He had a short but friendly impromptu chat with West Virginia Gov. Patrick Morrisey, another Republican, who left with a smile and a booklet on the premier's pitch to strengthen the nations' trade ties, which Ford has dubbed "Fortress Am-Can."
Another Republican, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, spoke with Ford by phone in December, but told The Trillium on Friday he couldn't really remember a conversation with the premier of Ontario now.
"Is that the premier that has the oil?" he asked, referring to Alberta Premier Danielle Smith.
Stitt remains in favour of Trump's tariff plans.
"We need to have some conversations about getting manufacturing back to the U.S., so I support President Trump on that," he said. "And I know it's complicated and difficult, especially for the Canadian people, but it's something that, you know, I'm supporting President Trump on."
Asked about that, Ford recalled the conversation with Stitt and said it was brief — and not a sign he's struggling to break through with Republicans.
"That's why we have to come down here and meet them — maybe not once, not twice, and get on the phone with them and communicate," he said.
Earlier in the day, Ford outlined his strategy.
"The message down here is a tariff on Canada's a tax on Americans, and they're starting to realize that — especially the auto sector. It's no longer months, it'd be a week or two before plants start shutting down both sides of the border," he told The Trillium and CBC.
Trump announced 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs on Canadian imports to the U.S., save for energy, which was to be subject to a 10 per cent levy. He then offered a 30-day reprieve after Canada agreed to measures related to border security, including naming a fentanyl czar and designating some drug cartels as terrorist organizations.
That tariff pause ends on March 4.
Canadian steel and aluminum are also facing a 25 per cent tariff, which would be in addition to the 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs, starting March 12.
Ford said that no one he's spoken with knows what Trump wants before the tariff deadline approaches.
"That's the ironic thing," he said. "No one down here knows what he wants, and we don't know what he wants. Let's sit down and negotiate."
Ford also said he was shocked to see "how misinformed a lot of elected officials down here" are about the critical role Canada plays in their economies when it comes to critical minerals, energy, aluminum, nickel, potash and uranium. "So when we tell them all this, 'They're like, 'Wow, we didn't realize this.'"
But Ford also couldn't name anyone he'd met on this trip to Washington who would take his message about the benefits of trade with Canada directly to Trump — when asked to name someone, he referred to a deputy chief of staff he met at the White House on his last visit with Canada's other premiers.
That visit hasn't been seen as a success, as the staffer — James Blair — took a swing at the premiers on social media afterwards, saying on X that he'd never agreed that Canada wouldn't become the 51st state and that he'd only agreed to pass the premiers' message about that on to the president.
Other people who are close to the president are aware that he and Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston are in D.C., Ford added.
Ford said later that he remains hopeful: "As you know, the president is a tough person to nail down, to say the least, on the policies, and not just mentioning a meeting."
There are governors who agree with Ford and other Canadian leaders on the value of free trade between the countries — but they're Democrats, and it's not clear that they have the president's ear.
Andy Beshear, the Democratic governor of Kentucky, doesn't need any convincing. He opposes Trump's tariffs, and says Democratic governors agree with him.
"In the end, tariffs are a tax," he said. "If tariffs are put in place on Canada, our gas prices are going to go up. If they're put on Mexico, our food prices are going to go up. And the amount they go up will be the 'Trump tax.' They'll be the extra amount that the American people are paying because of this specific decision. It's not good policy between our countries, and I hope it doesn't happen."
As for Republicans — they should agree with him, he said.
"You know, lowering prices shouldn't be a Democrat or a Republican thing," he said.
Beshear added that when Canada responds, it should remember that he and some state Republicans in Kentucky agree with Canada on tariffs, so he hopes any retaliatory measures will spare his state's bourbon industry.
