Statesmen show off, silly season arrives

And NDPers make it rain

ABOVE THE FOLD

ROAD TRIP! — Ontario’s election campaign takes a detour south of the border today as Canada’s Premiers led by DOUG FORD trek to Washington.

Closer to home, that isn’t sitting well with MARIT STILES and BONNIE CROMBIE, who levelled a fresh wave of attacks.

If you ask Ford, who has hinged this entire early election on DONALD TRUMP’s chaotic administration, the timing of the trip is crucial as the U.S. president announced a fresh round of steel and aluminum tariffs this week.

If you ask the folks on Team Ford, it doesn’t hurt that the PC leader will be looking very Premier-like stateside while campaigning for a third mandate back home.

Case in point: On the eve of the trip, Ford had some tough talk for China, saying he would ban Chinese parts from future energy procurements and not allow any Chinese state-owned enterprises in any critical mineral or infrastructure projects.

“We’re in a battle for the future of our economy,” Ford told reporters.

His rivals scoffed. New Dem…