‘Hit them where it hurts,’ Ford says of trade row
Premier Doug Ford is urging consumers to look closely at labels and buy Canadian after U.S. President Donald Trump’s move to “backstab” this country by reimposing tariffs on aluminum produced here.
“As individuals, we can’t put tariffs on. But what we can do, we can hit them where it hurts,” Ford said Friday, calling retailers to help the cause by putting “made in Ontario” or “made in Canada” labels on food and other products.
“This is what I want from corporate Canada, step up and say proudly made in Canada.”
Following up on a threat made a month ago as warning signs of more U.S. tariffs emerged, Ford blasted Trump over an “unacceptable” 10-per-cent levy that will hurt sales by Canadian aluminum manufacturers and new tariffs expected on Canadian steel with the presidential election approaching in November.
“We buy more goods off the United States than China, Japan, (and the) U.K. combined. And who does this in times like this, who tries to go after your closest ally, your closest trading partner, your number one customer in the entire world?” Ford said, encouraging the federal government to retaliate with tariffs on U.S. goods. Consumers have more power than they think, added the premier, who in November 2016 told Toronto Life magazine he would have voted for Trump in the election that brought the controversial New York businessman to power.
“We’re up against a real battle right now, it’s us versus them,” he added.
“So folks, please, this weekend when you’re going into the grocery store, until all the packaging gets changed, look on the back, see where it’s manufactured. If it’s manufactured in Canada, buy it. And that’s how we can support our neighbours, our family and our friends.”
Ford singled out retailers by name, including Metro, Sobeys, Loblaws, Canadian Tire, Home Depot, Home Hardware, Costco and Walmart.
“We need you to start buying more made in Ontario, made in Canada goods and requiring the packaging that has ‘Ontario made’ until we give the consumers a choice to protect our economy,” he said.
After heading the Ford family’s printing company, Deco Labels and Tags, for years, including at its Chicago operations, the premier said he is aghast at the tariff move by Trump, who is in a tough fight for re-election amid dismal COVID-19 statistics across the United States.
“I’m a businessman and I would never go after my number one customer and slap them in the face like President Trump did to the Canadian public, and Ontario. We will come back swinging like they’ve never seen before. I said those exact words to Ambassador Lighthizer, too, when I spoke to him,” Ford told a news conference, referring to U.S. Trade Ambassador Robert Lighthizer.
“We will kick their butts all over the place.”
Ford thanked manufacturers such as Lay’s potato chips and the makers of Coffee Krisp and KitKat for already putting “made in Canada” labels on their products.
“As you can tell I support them one too many times,” the premier quipped.