By Lincoln DePradine

The looming trade war between Canada and the United States is a daily talking point of Premier Doug Ford, who is promising to “protect Ontario” if reelected to office in the February 27 provincial elections.

However, labour leader Andria Babbington and members of the Council of Canadians are not ready to take the premier at his word.

Babbington, president of the Toronto & York Region Labour Council, said Ford is “no saviour”.

“Under his government, food bank usage is at an all-time high, school repair backlogs have ballooned to $16 billion, 24-hour emergency rooms have closed across the province, and rent and mortgages are higher than ever,” she said.

“He is not capable of guiding Ontario through a crisis. He is an opportunist and a danger to our public institutions.’’

Babbington is urging Canadians to sign a “Pledge for Canada” document and to “unite for the region, province and Canada we want”.

The pledge, among other things, calls for enhanced Canadian resiliency and less dependence on the U.S.A.

It was launched by a pledge committee headed by labour activist John Cartwright, chair of the Council of Canadians.

The pledge already has been signed by several prominent Canadians. They include former Prime Minister Kim Campbell; ex-foreign affairs minister Lloyd Axworthy; former Toronto Mayor David Crombie; and environmentalist and broadcaster David Suzuki.

“In this increasingly turbulent world,’’ reads the pledge, “we must reduce our dependence on the United states by diversifying our trade ad strengthening our collective tools and institutions necessary to defend and build the Canada we want—consistent with our shared commitment to inclusive democracy and human rights; equity and labour rights; environmental responsibility; reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples; and good global citizenship”.

According to the pledge, “previous generations have fought to protect our democracy and made sacrifices to build the Canada we inherited. This is now our time. The threats of economic coercion from the United States, our neighbour and leading trading partner, pose serious risks to the well-being of all Canadians and to our sovereign right to determine our political, economic, social and cultural destiny”.

The Prime Minister’s Office, will assemble Canadian trade and business leaders, along with organized labour, to discuss strategies to grow the economy, break down internal trade barriers and diversify exports.

It will also feature members of the Council on Canada-U.S. Relations, which is advising Trudeau on bilateral relations and Trump’s tariff threat.

Trump’s action, and his remarks about making Canada a US state, have infuriated many Canadians and set off a wave of patriotic sentiments.

People are sharing lists of Canada-made products that should be bought instead of American. Others are cancelling trips to the United States, and there has been booing of the American national anthem at sporting events in Canada.

“We have temporarily averted tariffs that would have severely damaged our economy, giving time for more negotiation and time for cooler heads to prevail,” said Premier Ford.

“With the threat of President Trump’s tariffs continuing to loom over our province and country, it’s more important than ever that we invest to support taxpayers and critical infrastructure through our plan to protect Ontario,” he added.

LJI reporter

#DougFord #OntarioPolitics #TradeWar #LabourRights #AndriaBabbington #CanadianSovereignty #CanadaFirst #PledgeForCanada #PublicInstitutions #EconomicJustice