It seems as if federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault has lost yet another friend.Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who is normally quite reserved in dealing with his federal counterparts, took exception to Guilbeault’s comments about withholding federal road-building funding on a Toronto radio program Thursday.Speaking on AM 640, Ford mockingly referred to Guilbeault as Canada’s “actual prime minister” and accused him of wanting to take Ontario back to “horseback or bicycles.” “That Minister Guilbeault, the federal environmental minister, I couldn’t believe what he said the other day,” Ford told host John Oakley, branding the Montreal MP “extremist.”“This guy is out to lunch as far as I am concerned,” Ford said. “Who’s running the country, Justin Trudeau or Guilbeault? And right now I don’t know who’s running the country.”.Ford took Guilbeault to task for comments he made earlier this month to the effect that the federal government would stop putting up cash for “large” road projects, although he seemingly walked them back by suggesting they applied to a large tunnel project in Quebec City.That drew condemnation from all quarters, including Alberta which is relying on federal dollars to upgrade Highway 3 through the Crowsnest Pass and the two transCanada roadways — Hwy 1 and Hwy 16, respectively. Ford also has a long list of ‘asks’ from the Feds when it comes to transportation, including the controversial Highway 413 and roads in the ‘Ring of Fire’ that will ultimately be needed to mine critical minerals needed to fuel the Liberals’ heavily subsidized EV manufacturing plants..“This is the same guy, Guilbeault, who chains himself to trees and the CN Tower. I mean he’s an extremist.”Ontario Premier Doug Ford.But unlike Premiers Danielle Smith and Scott Moe from Alberta and Saskatchewan — who have expressed their desire to have Guilbeault all but removed from office — Ford has opted to take a softer and quieter tone with his federal counterparts who have doled out billions in EV subsidies that ultimately benefit Ontario’s auto sector.He’s been known to have a cordial relationship with Prime Minister Trudeau. But he pulled out all the stops when it came to Guilbeault.“We are going to build the road with them or without them,” Ford said. “This is the same guy, Guilbeault, who chains himself to trees and the CN Tower. I mean he’s an extremist.”
It seems as if federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault has lost yet another friend.Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who is normally quite reserved in dealing with his federal counterparts, took exception to Guilbeault’s comments about withholding federal road-building funding on a Toronto radio program Thursday.Speaking on AM 640, Ford mockingly referred to Guilbeault as Canada’s “actual prime minister” and accused him of wanting to take Ontario back to “horseback or bicycles.” “That Minister Guilbeault, the federal environmental minister, I couldn’t believe what he said the other day,” Ford told host John Oakley, branding the Montreal MP “extremist.”“This guy is out to lunch as far as I am concerned,” Ford said. “Who’s running the country, Justin Trudeau or Guilbeault? And right now I don’t know who’s running the country.”.Ford took Guilbeault to task for comments he made earlier this month to the effect that the federal government would stop putting up cash for “large” road projects, although he seemingly walked them back by suggesting they applied to a large tunnel project in Quebec City.That drew condemnation from all quarters, including Alberta which is relying on federal dollars to upgrade Highway 3 through the Crowsnest Pass and the two transCanada roadways — Hwy 1 and Hwy 16, respectively. Ford also has a long list of ‘asks’ from the Feds when it comes to transportation, including the controversial Highway 413 and roads in the ‘Ring of Fire’ that will ultimately be needed to mine critical minerals needed to fuel the Liberals’ heavily subsidized EV manufacturing plants..“This is the same guy, Guilbeault, who chains himself to trees and the CN Tower. I mean he’s an extremist.”Ontario Premier Doug Ford.But unlike Premiers Danielle Smith and Scott Moe from Alberta and Saskatchewan — who have expressed their desire to have Guilbeault all but removed from office — Ford has opted to take a softer and quieter tone with his federal counterparts who have doled out billions in EV subsidies that ultimately benefit Ontario’s auto sector.He’s been known to have a cordial relationship with Prime Minister Trudeau. But he pulled out all the stops when it came to Guilbeault.“We are going to build the road with them or without them,” Ford said. “This is the same guy, Guilbeault, who chains himself to trees and the CN Tower. I mean he’s an extremist.”
