Ontario Premier Doug Ford faces criticism for planned trips to Washington during the election campaign, accused of violating the caretaker convention.
Ontario's premier, Doug Ford , is facing criticism from opposition parties for his planned trips to Washington D.C. during the province's election campaign. Ford, who is the current chair of the Council of the Federation, a body comprising all 13 provincial and territorial premiers in Canada, is scheduled to lead the premiers' response to U.S. President Donald Trump's threats of imposing 25 percent tariffs on Canadian goods.
The trips, one on February 12 and another from February 20-22, are intended to promote Canada and engage with U.S. political and business leaders on key issues like the economy, energy, critical mineral supply chains, border security, and immigration. Opposition parties argue that these trips constitute a misuse of government resources and violate a key convention in Canadian politics known as the caretaker convention. Although not legally binding, the caretaker convention dictates that during an election period, ministers should avoid any perception of using their ministerial offices or resources for political purposes. While ministers can take action in emergencies after clearance from the premier's office, critics argue that Ford's trips are unnecessary and could give him an unfair advantage during the campaign. They question the appropriateness of Ford making major policy decisions while serving as a caretaker premier, as any agreements he strikes with U.S. officials could potentially bind the province to future commitments. Ford, speaking to reporters on Friday, maintained his commitment to taking a leadership role in addressing the tariff threats but did not directly address the concerns raised about the caretaker convention.
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