Tough talk

Duelling campaign promises

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DOUG FORD is taking a hawkish approach to his role as this year’s chair of the all-Premiers’ club Council of the Federation, and taking a hard line on Mexico when it comes to upcoming USMCA talks. He also had some choice words for Liberal Leader BONNIE CROMBIE, who just unveiled a middle-class tax cut that she says would deliver on Ford’s unfulfilled promise circa 2018.

TRADE WARS — Staring down the possibility of hefty tariffs courtesy of incoming U.S. president DONALD TRUMP, Ford waded into the federal arena in the name of protecting the province’s industries, especially the auto sector.

Ford said he pressed Prime Minister JUSTIN TRUDEAU on the matter. “What I’m proposing to the federal government: we do a bilateral trade deal with the U.S.,” he told reporters at an unrelated announcement about skilled-trades funding in Barrie. “If Mexico wants a bilateral trade deal with Canada, God bless them.”

Ford slammed Mexico as a “backdoor” for Chinese cars and auto parts, an…