Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he “doing cartwheels” when the results of the U.S. midterm elections came in because the outcome sends a message to U.S. President Donald Trump, whose tariffs have hammered the province’s economy.
“Well, my goodness, I was doing cartwheels down the street, and you ever seen a big guy like me doing cartwheels? I was jumping up and down when the results were coming in,” Ford told reporters.
“It’s very simple. The American people spoke. The American people spoke on a couple of issues: cost of cost of living, cost of gas, the war in Iran, but most important is tariffs because that’s all tied into the cost of living.”
He made the comment one day after the Democrats seized control of both the U.S. Senate and the U.S. House of Representatives in what some analysts have framed as a rebuke of Trump.
“I couldn’t be happier,” Ford told reporters. “They can blame everyone they want, but President Trump has to look in the mirror, take responsibility for the results of last night.”
The Democrats trounced the Republicans in the U.S. midterm elections Tuesday night, gaining control of congress with seven more seats in the Senate and another 26 in the house.
Ford said he’s hopeful that with Democrats in charge of the congress, both countries will be able to move past the trade war.
“Let’s do everything we can to get rid of these tariffs and show prosperity in both countries,” Ford said. “That’s what will create opportunities in both countries, by getting rid of these tariffs.”
Trump’s tariffs have battered Ontario’s economy and Ford has repeatedly spoken out against them. The province’s recent fall economic update added $3 billion to the deficit, with much of the extra spending going to rainy day funds to bolster against the impacts of further tariffs that could hit in January.
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Speaking with reporters about Trump, he added “I can’t stand the guy” and said he’s proven himself untrustworthy.
“I can’t trust him as far as I can throw him. That’s my personal opinion,” Ford said. “Maybe the prime minister feels differently, but he (Trump) has shown over and over again that he can’t be trusted. He’ll make a deal. He’ll wake up in the morning, change the deal. And the (planned) tariffs in January are real. They’re as real as I’m standing here.”
Tariffs on Canadian auto and steel products are set to rise to 50 per cent in January.
Asked if he would work with some of the farther left candidates who were elected last night, such as (Senator-Elect) Abdul El-Sayed in Michigan, Ford said he would work “with anybody” to create jobs and increase prosperity.
Ford has been particularly strident in speaking out against Trump’s tariffs, making regular appearances on U.S. television networks and running ads aimed at U.S. viewers which sometimes angered the president. Ford has also vocally supported dollar-for-dollar counter-tariffs in retaliation for the trade war.