How will Ford handle his leadership role?

Listening to Doug Ford and his fellow premiers shedding a few tears in Halifax this week, you'd think the world and the country were coming to an end.

- MARTIN REGG COHN

Ontario Premier Doug Ford speaks Wednesday at the final news conference of this week's Council of the Federation meetings in Halifax. Ford will take over as leader of the group next month.

Ford has always aspired to have a national voice, so if he wants to make his mark as a leader among premiers, he needs to have something more enduring to say

With predictable passion, they rattled off a list of perennial perils: Federal interventionism is high.

American protectionism is nigh.

Asylum-seekers are on the rise.

Equalization is inequitable.

Feasting on seafood, washed down with sour grapes while sharing a few private laughs, the premiers used their annual conference to toast one another for prudent stewardship of their own provinces.

While raising the alarm about everyone else: With a Donald Trump presidency looming, Canadians face renewed risk. With Justin Trudeau's prime ministerial reign lagging, Canadians face prolonged risk.

Climate change is in the air, but most of the premiers called for the federal carbon levy to be buried.

Federal meddling in provincial jurisdiction is intolerable, yet the premiers cheerfully waded into Ottawa's bailiwick by demanding more defence spending and cuts to interest rates (by the independent Bank of Canada).