Five days before the new president was inaugurated, Justin Trudeau gathered the premiers in Ottawa to discuss the coming crisis.
They emerged, Trudeau said, with a "shared sense of purpose, a shared sense of understanding and a commitment to stand together on a united path forward." Seated to Trudeau's right, Ontario Premier Doug Ford said it was "truly a Team Canada approach we're taking."
The assembled first ministers didn't agree on everything. Alberta Premier Danielle Smith was notably unwilling to consider a surcharge on oil exports to the United States. But Ford offered a thoughtful — perhaps even inspiring — take on the display of some broader political unity.
"Isn't this great that we have three political parties sitting down and we have a robust conversation — we may agree or disagree — but we're coming out united?" Ford said. "I can tell ya, spending a lot of time in the U.S., you would never see a group of Democrats and Republicans sitting here collaboratively."
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