Kinew makes social media response to Ford’s whisky threat

WINNIPEG — Wab Kinew sent another jab at Ontario Premier Doug Ford Thursday, as the provincial leaders duel over Ford’s threat to pull Crown Royal whisky from the shelves in that province next month.

The premiers, who have each repeatedly touted their friendship, have found themselves at odds over the potential boycott of the Canadian liquor, which is mashed, distilled and aged in Gimli. Diageo, the company behind the product, announced a plan to shutter a bottling plant in Ontario, prompting the reaction from Ford.

In a video on social media Thursday, Kinew poked fun at a September news conference in which Ford emptied a whisky bottle onto the ground — splicing in footage of him pretending to catch the spilled whisky in a glass.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa … don’t waste that — that’s the good stuff,” a smiling Kinew said in the video, before raising the glass to the camera.

“That’s Canadian whisky supporting good-paying Canadian jobs right here in Gimli, Manitoba. So, what do you say, Premier Ford? I think it tastes better when we work together as part of team Canada.”

The video marks another attempt by Kinew to publicly appeal to his Ontario counterpart to reconsider the boycott. It follows a news conference last week, during which Kinew signed casks of whisky outside the Gimli plant and stressed that Canadian provinces must display a unified front in the face of the ongoing trade war with the U.S.

Kinew said Friday he hoped the video would encourage Ford to back down.

“Crown Royal is a Canadian whisky that’s made from the waters of Lake Winnipeg right here in Manitoba. It employs tons of blue-collar folks, the type of people who elected both Premier Ford and myself, and we need to stand up for their jobs,” he said.

“For sure, we don’t want to see Crown taken off the shelves in the (Liquor Control Board of Ontario), so maybe there’s another path forward here, and maybe he can register his displeasure in other ways.”

Kinew will see Ford next week during a meeting with Prime Minister Mark Carney and the rest of Canada’s premiers.

Kinew said he supports Ontario workers, but stressed a Crown boycott in that province would impact Manitoba and Quebec, where Diageo operates another bottling facility.

Earlier this week, Quebec’s finance minister said he, too, has shared concerns about the boycott with Ford — saying the move is misguided.

“In the current uncertain economic climate, particularly with the trade tensions with our southern neighbour, now is not the time to implement measures that risk further weakening Canadian supply chains,” Eric Girard said in a statement Tuesday.

During last week’s news conference, Kinew made it clear he would be increasingly vocal about his opposition to the looming boycott.

The Manitoba premier did not provide specifics when asked how the move would impact the provincial economy, saying the issue is “hypothetical” until products are actually removed from the shelves.

» Winnipeg Free Press

Kinew said he would not consider removing Ontario products from Manitoba in retaliation.

Despite their differences on the issue, public messaging between Kinew and Ford has so far remained friendly.

A spokesperson for Ford wouldn’t comment on Kinew’s video, instead deferring to statements the Ontario premier made last week.

At the time, Ford said he respects Kinew and appreciates his position but would not reconsider the boycott.

» Winnipeg Free Press