FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 9, 2026 

 TORONTO, ON. – In response to Premier Doug Ford’s underwhelming performance in Washington, D.C. this week, Ontario Liberal Finance and Trade Critic Stephanie Bowman, says: 

 It makes no sense that Doug Ford flew to Washington on an OPP jet to peddle his latest promotional material called ‘Building Fortress North America’, a rebranding of last year’s ‘Fortress Am-Can’ document, which landed with a thud. The rebranding is not even the worst part — which is that this latest Ford escape to Washington shows that the failing Doug Ford Conservative government still does not have a credible plan. In fact, on CNN, Doug Ford described the document as, ‘just a little brochure’. 

At a time of heightened economic uncertainty for Canada and Ontario, the best defence Doug Ford can muster is a ‘little brochure’ that is short on detail and mostly a rinse-and-repeat from last year’s failed trade document of a similar name. Let’s not forget that it was Doug Ford’s harmful anti-tariff ad in U.S media last fall that stopped Canada/U.S trade talks in their tracks, and it is Ontario workers and families who are paying the price. 

The fumbling Doug Ford Conservative government has been unable to drive investment or create jobs. Ontario is home to 40% of Canada workforce, but only 32% of the jobs created in Canada since the Ford government was re-elected in 2025 have gone to Ontario workers. For young workers, the situation is even worse, as net job losses of 31,000 come with an unemployment rate of 15.3%, more than double the overall Ontario unemployment rate of 7%. 

The Premier’s headline meeting with Ross Perot Jr. and the US Chamber of Commerce was cancelled. He had no meetings with the U.S. administration, and it is no wonder: his “little brochure” shows that the flailing Ford Conservatives have no new ideas, no direction, and no plan. 

When Ontario has the highest rate of long-term unemployment in the country (28.5%), Doug Ford should be focused on policies that will create jobs and ease cost of living pressures for families, not wasting billions on pet projects and helping his insider friends.