Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew called on Ontario Premier Doug Ford Tuesday to drop plans for a boycott of Crown Royal whisky, and wrote Ford's name on a barrel outside the plant north of Winnipeg where some of the whisky is mashed, distilled and aged.
"We understand, Doug, that you get fired up and you say things in public. But we also understand that you do the right thing when you have a chance to reconsider," Kinew told reporters as he stood in front of several barrels and a truck adorned in Crown Royal's signature purple.
"I'm asking you to reconsider because this is about sticking together as Team Canada. We know that we're standing together against the U.S. But a house divided against itself cannot stand. We've got to stick together as provincial leaders."
Ford has said that in retaliation for parent company Diageo deciding to close its bottling plant in Amherstburg, Ont., he will pull Crown Royal from Ontario liquor store shelves starting next month. The Amherstburg closure will affect about 200 jobs.
Diageo has said its Crown Royal products will continue to be mashed, distilled and aged at Canadian facilities, including one in Valleyfield, Que., but Ford has said he feels the jobs will end up in the United States.
The plant in Gimli, Man. employs about 76 people and it buys from farmers in the region. Other politicians have jumped to the defence of the Gimli plant, including Manitoba Opposition Leader Obby Khan, who wrote to Ford earlier this month.
Ford, speaking to reporters at the Ontario legislature, said he spoke with Kinew by phone earlier Tuesday, and maintained plans for the boycott.
"(Kinew) is doing his job. He's trying to protect jobs in Manitoba. I'm protecting jobs here in Ontario and he respects that. I respect him," Ford said.
"Crown Royal should have thought twice before closing their plant here."
Kinew offered to take Ford to a hockey game this Saturday between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Winnipeg Jets in the Manitoba capital.
"I said ... if you get on you plane and fly here, I'll buy the tickets to the Jets game. We can settle this thing, put a smile on the faces of people here in Gimli and just put this episode behind us," Kinew said.
Ford did not make any commitments.
"By the way, (Kinew) owes me probably a dinner at McDonald's because I won the last bet, and he wants me to come there and go to a game with him. But he's a fine gentleman, I'll tell you that."
If Ontario follows through with the boycott, Kinew said he doesn't plan to pull Ontario liquor from Manitoba shelves in retaliation. He said it would not be right to take an action that hurts Canadian jobs.
The Manitoba government is confident Diageo will remain in Gimli for the long term. The company recently contracted with Manitoba Hydro to add a $19-million transmission line to the plant, along with other investments, Kinew said.
