The Canadian 'Bad Cop' on the Front Lines of the Trade War with the US
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has urged Prime Minister Mark Carney to take a firm line against Washington and has engaged in a heated war of words with President Donald Trump.
Doug Ford has gone on the offensive. After trade talks collapsed and the US imposed new tariffs on Canada over the weekend, the Premier of Ontario called on his country to take a firm line against the US. He labeled President Donald Trump a "dictator," a "loser," and the "king of bankruptcies," even suggesting he could "kiss my ass." When asked about his anger level on a scale of 1 to 100, he told The Wall Street Journal: "110." It was classic Ford: combative, blunt, and, according to critics, somewhat reckless.
A day later, on Tuesday, Ford adopted a more conciliatory tone after Trump mocked him on social media, calling him "the less charismatic, less intelligent, and generally unimpressive brother of the late, great Rob Ford," the former mayor of Toronto whose tenure was marred by a drug scandal. Trump also threatened to rename Lake Ontario to "Lake America."
"Things got a little heated, and yesterday it got a little personal between me and the President," Ford told CNN, adding that he wants to "reach a deal." Ford, one of Canada's longest-serving provincial premiers, has once again brought his volatile political style into the trade struggle. Combining bluster and outrage, he seems capable of getting under the skin of Trump and his close aides in a way few others can. His unpredictability complicates the negotiating position for Prime Minister Mark Carney, but it also provides a useful contrast: a "bad cop" that allows Carney to play the role of the "good cop" with a more measured approach.
Profile: Doug Ford
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Personal: Born in 1964 in Canada, married with four children. Member of a political family, including his brother Rob Ford and his father, Doug Ford Sr.
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Professional: Premier of Ontario since 2018.
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Trivia: Was a vegetarian after working at a slaughterhouse and still does not eat red meat. His brother, Rob Ford, was removed as mayor of Toronto after admitting to smoking crack while in office.
"You can't imagine Mark Carney telling Donald Trump 'kiss my ass'," said Daniel Bland, director of the McGill Institute for the Study of Canada. "It's inconceivable. But Ford can say it, and I think many people in Canada like it, while others fear he might be going too far."
