Is Doug Ford putting Canada in diplomatic hot water with Mexico?

Mexico “does not deserve its place at the table,” Doug Ford has insisted since November, speaking of President-elect Donald Trump's promise to impose 25% tariffs on Canada and Mexico to combat drug proliferation. in the United States.

Prime Minister Ford continues to proclaim his frustration that Donald Trump has placed Canada and Mexico on an equal footing when it comes to U.S. border security.

Exclusion of ACEUM

In Canada, it was Doug Ford who was the first to suggest that Mexico should be excluded from possible negotiations of the free trade agreement in goods and services that has linked the three North American countries for 30 years.

Following in the footsteps of Prime Minister Ford, the Trudeau government echoed Donald Trump's comments, saying that Chinese companies are using Mexico as a “back door” to introduce auto parts into the United States.

Ottawa has not ruled out the idea of ​​negotiating its own free trade agreement with Washington, but Justin Trudeau indicated that it was not his “first choice”.

Nonetheless, Doug Ford's comments toured North America, and reached the ears of the President of Mexico, Claudia Sheinbaum.

The exclusion of Mexico from CUSMA “is a proposal that has no future,” she reacted last month.

Respect

Since then, President Sheinbaum and the Mexicans have deplored Canada's reaction to conversations regarding trade relations between the three North American countries.

Mexican columnists and cartoonists have made fun of their northern neighbor, going so far as to say that Canada is the doormat of the United States.

Claudia Sheinbaum asked that her country be “respected, especially by its trading partners”.

She also noted that Canada has “a very serious problem with fentanyl use,” more so than Mexico, and perhaps due to some drug decriminalization measures.

“We are not going to get caught up in a provocation to determine which country is better,” she also said, attributing some criticism of Canada to political maneuvering.

“Mexico should not be used in election campaigns [canadiennes]“, she said.

Ms. Sheinbaum's words took on their full meaning this week, as the Trudeau government is plunged into a political crisis and is preparing to fall.

Important partner

Canada would be on the wrong track to abandon its diplomatic relations with Mexico, according to full professor at the School of Political Studies at the University of Ottawa and director of the Observatory of violence, criminalization and democracy, Marie-Christine Doran .

“In terms of international relations, Mexico is a very important partner of Canada. It is a democratic country, which agrees with human rights,” notes the expert.

Doug Ford “really stung” the Mexicans “when he said it’s an insult to compare the two countries,” she adds.

According to Marie-Christine Doran, Doug Ford, supported by his counterparts from other provinces, made “reckless” comments, and “given the importance of this economic partner, it was the worst thing he could say.”

Bully

Donald Trump is playing a game ofbully schoolyard,” metaphorizes the specialist.

“We are two countries of less importance compared to the United States, and instead of working together, given the clear commercial links between the two countries, we are paving the way for Donald Trump in this schoolyard bully perspective », Supports the professor.

The analogy is that the president-elect “pretends to be friends with his neighbors, before planting a knife in the back of each of them, and gains from the discord he causes,” adds -She.

Doug Ford would therefore have taken the bait.

In addition to being the premier of the largest province in the country, he is the president of the Council of the Federation, which brings together the premiers of Canada's provinces and territories.

His influence does not go unnoticed.

The former Prime Minister of Quebec, Jean Charest, the father of the Council of the Federation, has also warned Canada against a possible alienation of Mexico in recent weeks.

According to Marie-Christine Doran, it is surprising to note that, with the exception of Mr. Charest, very few politicians in the country have spoken out on the risk that Canada runs if it does not maintain its commercial relations with Mexico. .

Priority market

Mexico is a priority market for Canada.

After the United States and China, this country is Canada's third trading partner, which invested $40.4 billion there in 2023.

Canada is Mexico's fourth largest trading partner.

The two countries signed, in 2023, an action plan aimed at “building more prosperous, sustainable, secure and equitable societies for all”.

This plan is based on different common priorities, such as reconciliation with indigenous peoples, gender equality and women's empowerment, trade, the fight against racism, the environment and climate change, among others.

“Diplomatically, Canada and Mexico are important partners, and we should definitely not sabotage this good understanding,” concludes Marie-Christine Doran.