Ford ready to bring Canada-U.S. Trade Council concerns to Prime Minister

Premier Doug Ford says he is ready to bring the Canada–U.S. Trade Council’s concerns right to Prime Minister Mark Carney in Monday’s meeting.

After leaving a meeting Friday, the premier said he is set to discuss tariffs and infrastructure with the prime minister and other premiers in Saskatchewan.

Ford said the conversation he had with the council gives him plenty of “ammunition” for his impending talk with Carney, which will include asking for federal support on infrastructure projects.

Carney asked premiers to come up with a list of their top five projects and Ford said his priority is developing the Ring of Fire – a mineral-rich area in northern Ontario.

However, the province is still getting pushback over their controversial Bill 5 – the bill that would speed up development in areas like the Ring of Fire by removing provincial and municipal reviews usually needed to start construction.

First Nations groups have come out against it, saying even with the revisions – if passed – Bill 5 would allow the government to sidestep treaty rights.

READ MORE: Last-minute changes to Ontario mining bill are not good enough, First Nations say

Some groups have threatened to block roads and rail tracks if the Ford government moves forward.

“That would be very, very disappointing to do it,” said Doug Ford, when he was asked about the threats. “What I’m understanding is that there’s a very small vocal group that are saying this – wouldn’t that be a disappointment.”

“I’ll make it very, very clear: we’re always going to respect treaty rights, we’re always going to have duty to consult, but let’s look across the country and forget political stripes. We have an NDP premier – Premier [David] Eby saying we’ve got to move on this. We’ve got a Liberal government who’re saying it’s ridiculous that it takes 15 years, we’re going to have one window and one permit, and we’re going to get these permits out and not interfere in less than two years,” said Ford.

“You either make changes, or you fall behind and you get destroyed by the rest of the world that will eat our lunch,” he said.

The Ontario NDP are also accusing the Ford government of fast-tracking the bill, by limiting the amount of time MPs have to debate it.

They said it could be passed by the Progressive Conservative majority by next week.

Ford will be travelling to Saskatchewan Sunday for his meeting with Carney the next day.

READ MORE: Ontario to amend mining bill, add Indigenous economic zones amid First Nations uproar