It feels a bit Taylor Swiftian.
Hurt feelings.
Unsent texts.
Exotic trips with someone else.
Yearning for what was last summer.
Premier Doug Ford sounded like a spurned paramour from a Swift song as he bleated about Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to China with Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe.
Federal Politics Carney government doesn’t share Doug Ford’s security concerns about Chinese EVs, minister says
“Any vehicles that come in will have to abide by Canadian standards,” Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said.
Federal Politics Carney government doesn’t share Doug Ford’s security concerns about Chinese EVs, minister says
“Any vehicles that come in will have to abide by Canadian standards,” Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said.
It was only six months ago that Carney was bunking at Ford’s Muskoka cottage before a first ministers’ meeting in Huntsville, the two of them staying up to the wee hours by the fire, “solving all the world’s problems,” by the premier’s fond recollection.
But that was then and this is now.
It’s safe to say that when the first ministers gather next Wednesday in Ottawa, Ford won’t be enjoying a sleepover with Carney at Rideau Cottage, comparing notes about whether “The Life of a Showgirl” is as good as “Midnights.”
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The premier is “ticked” with the prime minister for agreeing to allow up to 49,000 Chinese EVs into Canada at a tariff of 6.1 per cent — down from the previous 100 per cent rate — in exchange for Beijing cutting counter-tariffs on Canadian canola and seafood.
“I’m disappointed, because we had such a great relationship, and I look forward to continuing a great relationship, but it’s all about communication and collaboration and partnership — they keep preaching it,” Ford complained to reporters on Monday.
“The prime minister knows my number, and I thought we had a good enough relationship that he’d give me a quick text or a little bit of communication. That never happened. Well, at least I know where I stand now.”
Instead, the premier learned of the deal with China just a few hours before it was made public — from Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Minister Dominic LeBlanc and Michael Sabia, clerk of the Privy Council.
Senior Ontario officials, speaking confidentially in order to discuss internal deliberations, stressed Ford values personal relationships and was disconcerted by the lack of heads-up from Carney, with whom he has texted frequently.
It was an uncharacteristic snub from a prime minister who has visited the premier’s Etobicoke home at least three times before and after the cottage confab near bucolic Port Sydney.
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Carney has worked hard to cultivate a relationship with Ford.
Three days after succeeding Justin Trudeau as Liberal leader last March — and two days from being sworn in as prime minister — he travelled to Etobicoke for a private breakfast with the premier at Wally’s Grill on Rexdale Boulevard.
During last April’s federal election campaign, where the Liberals employed the same anti-Donald Trump playbook as the provincial Progressive Conservatives used in their February vote, Carney carved out precious campaign hours for a pep talk from Ford at the premier’s house before the televised leaders’ debate in Montreal.
The premier, the most successful Tory politician in Canada, gave the rookie prime minister shrewd advice about leaning into his experience as a successful businessman and central banker.
That counsel helped Carney fend off barbs from Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who had spent the previous two decades sharpening his debating skills in the House of Commons.
As Trump’s trade war on Canada raged, the prime minister and the premier played “good cop/bad cop” against the mercurial U.S. president.
Trump used the Ford government’s anti-tariff TV commercial — featuring a 1987 speech of former president Ronald Reagan denouncing levies — as the excuse for abandoning talks with Canada, forcing Carney to apologize.
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That episode strained the bromance between Canada’s two most powerful politicians, but not as much as the Chinese EV deal.
“Don’t use Ontario and the autoworkers here as a pawn. Everyone got something except Ontario. All we got is a massive threat of Chinese vehicles that are coming here that are going to hurt every single auto sector worker,” fumed Ford.
So are they never ever getting back to together?
Speaking on CTV’s “Power Play” with Vassy Kapelos on Monday after Ford’s grousing, former federal Conservative cabinet minister Lisa Raitt advised the premier and the prime minister to chill because they need have to work together to protect Canada from Trump.
“Maybe the parties are going to have to ‘shake it off’ just like Taylor Swift used to say,” said Raitt.
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