Picking up where Premier Kathleen Wynne left off, her successor Doug Ford says he will meet with U.S. governors to hammer home the message that borders must be open to trade or jobs will be lost on both sides of the border.

“It’s going to be a full court press,” the Progressive Conservative premier-designate pledged Thursday after a meeting with federal Foreign Affairs Minister Chrystia Freeland and David MacNaughton, Canadian ambassador to the United States.

The two flew back from Washington earlier in the day to brief Ford after meeting with American trade officials in regards to stalled NAFTA negotiations and punitive tariffs placed on Canadian steel and aluminum in the waning days of the Ontario election campaign.

Ford comes on the scene at a critical point as Canada prepares to implement a host of retaliatory tariffs worth $16.6 billion on U.S. products. The Canadian tariffs target items such as bourbon from Tennessee, along with soup and toilet paper – on July 1, Freeland said.

Those counter-penalties are designed to convince the Trump administration that its trade provocations are a “bad idea” and provide Ford and other premiers with more ammunition when they meet state counterparts in the fight to stem a rising tide of protectionism, Freeland said.

“We’re entering a new phase…this is an opportunity when we need to be making the case that having this kind of dispute hurts American consumers, hurts American businesses as well.”

Wynne, whose Liberal party was reduced to seven seats in last week’s election, has barnstormed the U.S. in the last couple of years, meeting with 37 U.S. governors, senators, members of congress and Trump administration officials over trade concerns.

Freeland praised Ford, who was elected a week ago and will be sworn in as premier June 29, for coming on board with other premiers across the country to stand firmly against the U.S. trade measures.

“Canada is playing as a totally united team…that is absolutely essential.”

Ford said he enjoys a “good relationship” with Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder after meeting at a Grey Cup game and noted the Republican’s state is one of 19 that count Ontario as its best customer for exports. Ontario is the second-largest market for another nine states.

“I don’t think the governors realize that,” said Ford, who will tout plans to lower corporate and personal incomes taxes in the next couple of years in a bid to boost Ontario’s competitiveness.

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“So that’s 28 states we can have face-to-face conversations with and explain to them how critical it is that we carry on a great relationship with our closest partner and that’s the United States of America.”

“Nothing’s better than meeting someone eye-to-eye.”

Ontario’s trade with the United States totalled $390 billion last year.

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