Premier Ford Calls for Stronger Economic Ties with U.S. ahead of this Week’s Elections

On Monday, November 4, 2024, Premier Doug Ford issued the following statement ahead of the United States elections on Tuesday, November 5:

“As Americans prepare to vote in this week’s elections, it’s more important than ever to preserve and build on our longstanding ties of friendship, trade and co-operation that unite Canada and the United States. Together, we can support the millions of workers on both sides of the border whose paycheques and livelihoods rely on this critical relationship.

In the lead-up to this week’s elections, our government has been hard at work strengthening ties and establishing new relationships with government officials at the federal, state and local levels, as well as business leaders from across the United States. Since 2023, we’ve signed five new economic co-operation agreements with Indiana, Michigan, Nevada, Illinois and New Jersey. We’ve welcomed delegations from a number of key U.S. states and leveraged our network of representatives in Chicago, Dallas, New York, San Francisco and Washington, D.C. to reinforce and build new relationships with lawmakers and business leaders.

Throughout these efforts, we have highlighted the critical importance of open trade and co-operation between Ontario and the United States, including the enormous potential for Ontario to provide the critical minerals needed for electric vehicle batteries and other new technologies, especially at a time when the U.S. is looking to de-risk and de-couple from countries that don’t share our values and fuel global instability. We are a safe and secure source for clean and reliable nuclear energy needed to power America’s economic growth.

As we work to build stronger economic ties with our closest ally and the largest economy in the world, Canada must remain aligned with U.S. trade policy, like we did by matching American tariffs on Chinese imports of electric vehicles and steel. Similarly, I continue to urge the federal government to delay the implantation of the digital services tax, which is putting Canadian jobs at risk.

Regardless of the outcome of this week’s elections, we stand ready to work with our partners south of the border. Above all, we must avoid falling into a “Buy Canada” or “Buy America” mindset that would jeopardize our existing trading relationship and instead adopt a “Buy Can-Am” mindset that creates new jobs and opportunities for workers and businesses on both sides of the border.

Let’s build on decades of economic partnership by promoting greater economic integration and prosperity, create good jobs and maintain stability and security for our future generations.”

QUICK FACTS

• If Ontario were a standalone country, it would be America’s third-largest trading partner with a near-perfect balance in two-way trade totalling CAD $493 billion in 2023, employing millions of workers on both sides of the border.
• Ontario is the largest trading partner for 17 states and the second-largest trading partner for another 11.