Ontarios Ford says Canada, U.S. should avoid trade war and take on China [Video]

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says Canada and the United States should work together to counter China, rather than engage in a damaging trade war — and has a message for Mexico to join them.

Speaking to CNN Monday night, Ford said cutting off energy exports to the U.S. remained “a tool that we have in our toolbox” to retaliate if U.S. president-elect Donald Trump follows through on his threat to slap 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian exports when he takes office next month.

However, Ford said “that’s the last thing I want to do,” adding he would prefer to boost U.S. trade and counter Chinese incursions into the North American market, which he says is largely being done through Mexico.

“I just feel we aren’t the enemy,” he told CNN. “The big problem, in my opinion, is China: cheap Chinese products going through Mexico. They’re slapping a ‘made-in-Mexico’ sticker on (products) …