Ontario Premier Doug Ford concluded a two-day trip to Washington, D.C., on June 9, where he promoted renewing North America’s free-trade pact under a “Building Fortress North America” framework that he says would strengthen the continent’s prosperity and security.
Ford’s proposal calls for closer cooperation on critical minerals, manufacturing, energy, defence, and Arctic security while reducing North America’s reliance on China for strategic industries such as electric vehicles, semiconductors, batteries, and artificial intelligence, his office said in a release.
The proposal comes as Canada, the United States, and Mexico prepare for a review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), while U.S. tariffs remain in place on Canadian steel, aluminum, and automobiles….