Ford, Poilievre push back on report premier rebuffed federal leader

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OTTAWA — Both Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and Ontario Premier Doug Ford are clapping back at a report suggesting the federal leader asked the premier for help on the upcoming election campaign, but was rebuffed.

“The report is not accurate,” Poilievre told reporters during a press conference at a union local in suburban Ottawa Friday morning. In French, he added that he had an “excellent” conversation with Ford.

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“I did speak to the premier, as I do with all premiers when they want to talk, and we talked about bringing home jobs to Canada, supporting the Ring of Fire, cutting taxes, unleashing our production, and reversing the lost Liberal decade,” he added, reprising many of his recent policy announcements.

A Toronto Star report on Thursday cited unnamed sources who said the Conservative leader called Ford on Monday and asked him for advice on the upcoming federal election.

According to the Star, Ford declined to provide any guidance and told Poilievre he was focused on leading Ontario and would stay out of the federal race.

The Star story says there has been no love lost between the two camps for years, with many in Poilievre’s entourage believing Ford’s Progressive Conservatives don’t govern enough from the right.

Later on Friday in Toronto, Ford went even further than Poilievre, and said that the federal leader did not ask him for advice and that the Toronto Star story was wrong.

“It was the first time I ever spoke to him. I guess what was reported was not accurate at all,” Ford said.

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“He didn’t ask me for help … so I don’t know where they came up with that story.”

Both leaders dodged questions about the revelations that the tone of the call was “stilted and awkward,” and that Ford’s entourage was annoyed Poilievre did not congratulate the premier for his election win on Feb. 27.

“I want to see how each leader is going to protect Ontario. Are they going to get the Ring of Fire moving forward. Are they going to get out of the way and make sure we get into the critical minerals?” Ford told reporters.

“Times have changed now. We’re in an economic war with the largest country in the world and we have to get to those critical minerals as quickly as possible,” he added.

During his Friday press conference, Poilievre announced a Conservative government would maintain a $4,000 apprenticeship grant that helps apprentices cover the cost of training in their trade. He also promised funding for union training halls to help cover the cost of equipment and programs.

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A third promise was to create a “special rapid class” of Employment Insurance (EI) that would accelerate applications for tradespeople who step away from their work for additional training.

“Right now, they have to wait weeks on end without any money coming in as they’re training up, and that puts them in a tough spot paying the rent,” Poilievre said.

The Conservative leader also took a swipe at Prime Minister Mark Carney, accusing him of being a “union buster” because of the actions of certain divisions of Brookfield Asset management while he chaired the company’s board of directors.

“Mark Carney will never stand up for the working people. He will only stand up for the millionaire and billionaire global elites. That is all he has ever done,” Poilievre charged.

The prime minister has not yet responded to Poilievre’s “union buster” insult, but is expected to address the media after he meets with the premiers Friday night in Ottawa.

Carney is expected to visit Governor General Mary Simon on Sunday to request she dissolve Parliament and launch a snap federal election.

National Post

cnardi@postmedia.com

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