In a shocking development, Ontario Premier Doug Ford has announced he will dissolve his government and call a snap provincial election for February 27 in order to gain a strong mandate to fight back against US President Donald Trump’s threat to impose crushing 25% tariffs on all Canadian imports starting next month. The surprise move comes as trade tensions reach a boiling point between the two close allies and Ontario’s critical manufacturing sector finds itself caught in the crosshairs of an escalating economic conflict.
Ford, leader of the province’s right-leaning Progressive Conservatives, is betting that voters will rally behind him and deliver a decisive majority as he prepares to go toe-to-toe with the Trump administration over the proposed duties that experts warn could devastate Ontario’s $1.1 trillion economy. “The attack is coming against our families, our businesses, our communities,” Ford told reporters on Friday. “With a strong mandate, we will be able to fight Donald Trump.”
Ford Seeks “Largest Mandate in Ontario History” Amid Tariff Showdown
The pugnacious premier, known for his plain-spoken populist appeal, has emerged as one of Canada’s leading voices against Trump’s protectionist trade policies. In recent weeks, he has made the rounds on US television threatening retaliatory measures like cutting off power exports and banning American alcohol if the White House follows through with its tariff plan. It’s a distinctly tougher approach compared to other conservative provincial leaders and the outgoing Liberal federal government of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
We don’t know who is going to be the next prime minister. The attack is coming against our families, our businesses, our communities, and with a strong mandate, we will be able to fight with Donald Trump.
– Doug Ford, Ontario Premier
Ford previously secured back-to-back majority governments for his PCs in 2018 and 2022, but is now asking Ontario voters to hand him “the largest mandate in history” as he stares down the belligerent US president ahead of the February 1 tariff implementation deadline. The coming election is expected to focus heavily on how Ford and his party plan to shield workers and key industries from the economic impact of a trade war.
Opposition Accuses Ford of Using Tariffs as “Distraction” from Scandals
However, rival parties were quick to slam Ford’s election call as a crass attempt to capitalize politically on the tariff issue while distracting from controversies dogging his government, including an active RCMP investigation into its role in opening protected lands to real estate development. Both the Liberals and New Democrats say Ford is putting his own interests ahead of Ontarians.
- Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie accuses Ford of “recklessness” in election call
- NDP says Ford wants to “distract from the RCMP’s criminal investigation into his government”
“[Ford is] answering chaos by creating more chaos at a time where we need stability and certainty,” said Liberal leader Bonnie Crombie. “This election shows us that the only job he’s interested in protecting is his own.” But with Ford’s PCs maintaining a dominant lead in the polls, opposition parties face an uphill battle making those criticisms stick with voters amid fears of an imminent trade crisis.
High Stakes for Ontario Economy as Election Looms
Ontario, home to nearly 40% of Canada’s population and a key manufacturing and exporting hub, potentially has the most to lose if Trump’s tariffs spark a full-blown trade war between the deeply integrated North American economies. Experts warn the duties could unleash devastating direct impacts on major Ontario sectors like steel, aluminum, agriculture and automobiles while also disrupting crucial cross-border supply chains.
The premier is likely thinking that if the tariffs come to pass, they’re going to have a real serious economic impact. And voters usually punish governments when the economy is bad, even if the government isn’t responsible.
– Randy Besco, Univ. of Toronto Political Science Professor
With Ontario manufacturers and exporters on edge, Ford and his PCs are calculating that positioning themselves as the province’s fearless defenders against American economic aggression is a winning message that will carry them to another commanding majority come February 27. The risks of failure in that tariff fight – and at the ballot box – couldn’t be higher for Ford or for Ontario’s economic fortunes in the years ahead.
