Ford says PM Carney ‘better fight like hell’ during meeting with Trump next week

Ontario Premier Doug Ford is calling on the CEO of Stellantis to open the Brampton assembly plant after work was paused in February.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford says Prime Minister Mark Carney “better fight like hell” during his trip to Washington, D.C., next week.

“You’re going down there Tuesday. You better fight like hell. Don’t roll over and keep fighting,” Ford said during a rally in front of the Stellantis Assembly Plant in Brampton on Saturday afternoon.

Carney is set to travel to the U.S. capital for a “working visit and meeting” with President Trump, the Prime Minister’s Office said.

“The Prime Minister’s working visit will focus on shared priorities in a new economic and security relationship between Canada and the U.S.,” according to the PMO. Carney will be joined by Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand, Industry Minister Melanie Joly and Canada-U.S. Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc.

Sources told CTV News earlier this week that there could be a potential movement expected on steel and aluminum tariffs.

During Saturday’s rally, a fired-up Ford reiterated that Canada will never be the 51st state. On Tuesday, speaking to U.S. senior military leaders, Trump revived the 51st state rhetoric.

“We’re going to keep fighting like we’ve never fought before,” Ford said.

“I will send the message down to the U.S. very clearly. If I have to get on CNN every day or Fox News or ABC, NBC, I will continue sending that message that Canada is the greatest place in the entire world, the best, the smartest, the strongest workers anywhere.”

Ford to Stellantis CEO: Open the Brampton plant

Saturday’s “Protect Canadian Jobs” rally was organized by Unifor.

Ford urged the CEO of Stellantis to “open the damn plant.”

“We need to get our workers back in that plant,” the premier said.

Work at the assembly plant, where the next generation of the Jeep Compass was scheduled to go into production later this year, was paused in February.

At that time, Stellantis said in a statement, “As we navigate today’s dynamic environment, Stellantis continues to reassess its product strategy in North America to ensure it is offering customers a range of vehicles with flexible powertrain options to best meet their needs.”

The company noted in their February statement that the pause would not change previously announced investment plans for Brampton.

“We signed a deal with Stellantis that made sure the number one concern, part of that deal, it’s in writing, signed off, that they keep the Brampton plant open. We made sure we did that. We’re going to continue fighting,” Ford said.

With files from Chris Fox and CTV News’ Stephanie Ha and Judy Trinh