Ontario Premier's Disgraceful Sellout "Fortress Am-Can"
Ontario Premier Doug Ford announced on January 8 what he called Ontario's plan to achieve "Am-Can" energy security and power economic growth on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border. He said this was part of Fortress Am-Can, "a renewed strategic alliance between Canada and America that is a beacon of stability, security and long-term prosperity."
As
current chair of the Council of the Federation representing the
premiers of the provinces and territories, Ford presented his "Fortress
Am-Can" plan to the U.S. as part of the Premiers' lobbying trip to
Washington, DC in February. Responding to the Trump administration's
demands for Canada to
militarize the border and increase military spending, and its threats
to impose tariffs on goods the U.S. imports from Canada and of
annexation, Ford outlined a plan to form an Am-Can alliance to exclude
Mexico, target China and put Canada's territory and resources at the
disposal of the U.S. war
machine.
Ford is an outspoken admirer of Trump and his agenda who publicly cloaks himself in the flag of nationalism in order to hoodwink the people and force them to support his "Fortress Am-Can." He is desperate to be accepted by Trump as a loyal henchman who can deliver Canada on a silver platter if only the U.S. drops its threats of tariffs.
In a speech to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on February 11, Ford outlined this appeal for deeper integration of Canada into the U.S. economy and military. He offered Canadian support for the wrecking agenda of the oligarchs appointed by Trump to restructure the U.S. state to achieve their hegemonic aims.
Addressing the assembled Canadian and U.S. business leaders and before outlining his "Fortress Am-Can," Ford praised "U.S. lawmakers [who are] leading the most ambitious economic realignment in the past 100 years. They're decoupling from China and its global proxies. Doing so will be no easy task. It will require long-term thinking. It will require dedication and, most of all, it will require friends and allies like Canada and Ontario. And I can tell you, Canada is here to help. Working together, Canada and the U.S. can be the richest, most successful, safest most secure two countries on the entire planet when we're working together."
This is the outline of "Fortress Am-Can" that Ford laid out for the Chamber of Commerce:
"We can usher in a new American-Canadian century, what
President
Trump calls the 'new golden age.' We do so by building Fortress Am-Can.
Fortress Am-Can is a renewed alliance between America and Canada that's
a beacon of stability, security and long-term economic growth on both
sides of the border."
The master of free-loading,
ripping off workers, corruption and pay-the-rich schemes promotes his
anti-China agenda as follows:
"First,
Fortress Am-Can promotes free, fair and balanced trade. Fair trade
means fighting back against freeloaders that rip off workers by taking
advantage of free trade agreements designed to protect jobs at home.
I'm talking about China. Together let's put an end to Chinese
transhipments through Mexico into American and Canadian markets. Every
member of the United States-Mexico-Canada agreement needs to match or
exceed U.S. tariffs on Chinese products. Electric vehicles, batteries,
and in particular aluminum and steel all need matching tariffs. If they
fail to do so, they should lose their seat at the table. I always say
if you don't play fair in a deal, no matter if its business or
politics, you should excuse yourself from the table. And let's protect
against Chinese investment and ownership in strategically important
sectors such as critical minerals and energy. Canada and the United
States and Mexico all need strong robust investment review processes
designed to block Chinese investments aimed at undermining our
economies."
Ford uses all the buzzwords workers are
familiar with because they are commonly used to attack the claims they
are entitled to make as the producers of the wealth society depends on
for its living. He says:
"Second,
let's grow the Am-Can economy for Am-Can workers. Fortress Am-Can needs
to take action to reshore supply chains, attract investments and bring
good jobs back home for workers on both sides of the border. We do so
by streamlining regulations to promote economic integration and by
eliminating anti-worker anti-business taxes."
In
the name of "national security," Ford is intent on selling out the
birthright of the Indigenous Peoples which is not for sale and removing
any impediments to the wrecking of the natural environment:
"Third we need to accelerate strategic resource development.
I'm calling for a new Am-Can Critical Mineral Security Alliance, an
alliance that invests and builds our American and Canadian critical
mineral supply chains so we're less dependent on China, on Russia and
other countries that don't share our democratic values. As we do, we
need to speed up regulatory approvals. Fortress Am-Can will designate
areas where multiple critical minerals are present or likely to be
present, including the Ring of Fire in Ontario, the largest critical
mineral deposit in the entire world. As regions of strategic importance
to the national security of Canada and the United States, these regions
will be supported with a special approvals process that cuts down
timelines to get minerals out of the ground, processed and shipped to
factory floors, the same kind of necessary regulatory reform being led
by the Trump administration."
Without
revealing the terms of energy contracts already in existence between
Ontario and the United States, which carry heavy penalties for
non-delivery or untimely delays to the delivery of electricity, Ford is
bandying threats about cutting energy supplies to the U.S. if it does
not drop the demand for tariffs. Clearly, the devil is in the details
which are kept hidden from the people. Ford declared:
"Fourth, we'll achieve Am-Can energy security to power Am-Can economic growth. Fortress Am-Can should be powered by Am-Can energy of every type, energy that is produced, consumed and creates jobs in every single region in both countries. I want to further integrate our energy and electricity grids. People don't realize ... we can deliver electricity from Ontario as far south as Florida with just a moment's notice. We can flick on the switch or flick off the switch. I prefer flicking on all the switches, and encourage more exports of Canadian energy and electricity to the U.S. to power your economic growth."
And more talk about "security" by coming under U.S. "protection" and criminalizing people crossing the border and demanding increasing military spending on NATO.
"Fifth, Fortress
Am-Can will protect Am-Can land, air, Arctic, water and communities.
Canada needs to demonstrate that we take our shared security seriously.
It's not only what President Trump has asked, it's the right thing to
do. It's why Ontario launched Operation Deterrence, working with
fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, drones, off-road vehicles, boats and
foot patrols, over 200 dedicated officers have already conducted over
10,000 hours of focused patrol to detect, disrupt and deter illegal
cross border activity. Operation Deterrence has already led to hundreds
of charges against illegal border crossers, against people smuggling
illegal drugs, stolen vehicles and illegal firearms across the border.
But when it comes down to it we need to do more. I'm urging Canada's
federal government to pass strict new mandatory minimum sentences and
other reforms so any thug convicted of trafficking fentanyl or illegal
drugs gets thrown in jail for good. That's it. They're gone. They're
done. Ontario and the federal government will also work together to get
at the root cause of drug smuggling. We'll audit any bank, credit union
or financial institution suspected of financing gangs or cartels.
"And
finally, we will keep pushing our federal government to do its part by
exceeding Canada's two per cent NATO defence spending commitment."
Ford's unapologetic integration of Canada into the
U.S. war economy is in the service of oligarchs on both sides of the
Canada-U.S. border and will cause great harm to the working people of
Ontario, Canada and the U.S. Using language in a manner which gives it
no meaning, he says:
"Friends, this is Fortress Am-Can. This is a way forward. It's a vision that respects each country as proudly independent and it celebrates what we can achieve together. Let's stop wasting time and energy and effort fighting each other, threatening tariffs that will only hurt workers, hurt businesses and cost more for families, hurting hard-working people just looking to get ahead in life. Instead, let's focus on restoring the pride of Made in the USA and Made in Canada. Let's be unapologetic as we stand up for American and Canadian workers. Today let's usher in the new American and Canadian century, a new golden age. Let's build Fortress Am-Can. Thank you and may God bless the people of America and may God bless the people of Canada."
This is the agenda for which Ford claims he has received a mandate from the people of Ontario. It is all fraud. He has no such mandate. For workers, women, youth, Indigenous Peoples and all those whose voices are silenced, the fitting response is to step up the fight in defence of the right to health care and education, housing and, above all, the right of the working people of Ontario and Canada to set the direction of the economy and decide on all matters that affect their lives.
This article was published in
Volume 55 Number 2 - February 2025
Article Link:
https://cpcml.ca/Tmlm2025/Articles/M550023.HTM
Website: www.cpcml.ca Email: editor@cpcml.ca