Ontario premier Doug Ford repeated the ‘buy local’ mantra as he entered Council of the Federation meetings in Hunstville, Ontario yesterday.

Ford, who is chairing the meeting with his provincial and territorial counterparts, reiterated the call for Canadians to support their own as difficult trade talks with the U.S. continue.

He says the steel and aluminum tariffs being imposed on Canada by the U.S. mean that Canadians have to think and act differently.

“Start buying Canadian-made vehicles, start buying Canadian-made everything,” Ford urged Canadians. “That will hurt them more than anything at all. We’re their number one customer. We buy more products…off the U.S. than Japan, China, Korea, U. K. and France combined. So we are an economic powerhouse, and we don’t have to take a back seat to anyone.”

The premiers will meet with Prime Minister Mark Carney today with meetings wrapping up tomorrow afternoon.