It took just one meeting with Lutnick to reverse his strong stance and start saying:

Mr. Ford insisted Mr. Lutnick somehow wants to “boost up” Canada, despite Mr. Trump’s repeated threats of annexation and tariffs that could cripple Canada’s U.S.-trade-dependent economy.

“They aren’t coming into our country to take over, I’ll tell you that,” Mr. Ford said. “I kind of flip this around. What a compliment. We’ll never be a 51st state. Canada’s not for sale. But isn’t it nice that someone thinks we have the greatest country world, and they want access?”

The Premier’s comments follow last week’s high-stakes trade drama, in which he backed down from imposing a 25-per-cent surcharge on his province’s electricity exports to the U.S. Mr. Ford’s move prompted a vehement reaction from Mr. Trump, who immediately threatened to double the 25-per-cent duties he was about to impose on Canadian steel and aluminum.

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-trump-tariffs-doug-ford-response/