The tariffs impacting Canada’s auto industry are dominating the federal election campaign.
NDP leader Jagmeet Singh showed his support for the auto industry with a stop in Windsor.
He outlined a series of measures to protect the industry and its workers.
It included forcing manufacturers to have a Canadian presence.
“While these tariffs are in place, no company should think they could sell here in Canada if they don’t have a footprint here in Canada,” says Singh.
“If they get rid of their footprint, they’re not creating jobs here, they’re not selling in our country, they’re not selling in our market.”
Singh would also stop firms from stripping their plants to uproot elsewhere.
He is also proposing tax incentives to motorists who buy Canadian-made vehicles while implementing a Buy-Canada on purchases by the federal government.
“When we are purchasing vehicles at the federal level, thinking about the RCMP fleet, thinking about the Canada Post and the entire fleet, we need to be buying entirely Canadian-made vehicles with the federal money that we have when we purchase vehicles at the federal level,” says Singh.
Liberal leader Mark Carney halted his campaigning to attend a federal committee meeting on Canada-U.S. relations.
Carney says he has heard from President Donald Trump’s office.
“Last night, the President of the United States reached out to schedule a call,” says Carney.
“I will make clear to the President that those interests are best served by cooperation and mutual respect, including of our sovereignty.”
Carney adds that Canada would respond to the new tariffs on the auto industry and that nothing is off the table.
He says a strong mandate from voters will help.
“It’s important to have a strong and clear mandate coming out of this election given the seriousness of the situation in autos, in forestry, in aluminum, semiconductors, across a range of industries we haven’t seen,” says Carney.
“The stronger the mandate is, the more effective we are going to be getting the best deal for Canada.”
Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre brought his campaign to British Columbia.
He says a Conservative government would work to diversify trade to lessen the impact of the tariffs and become less reliant on the U.S.
“Within four years of a new strong Conservative government, Canada will be completely rebuilt,” says Poilievre.
“We will rebuild our economy. We will not be reliant on the U.S. anymore and the Americans will have lost the greatest trading partner and friend they ever had.”
Poilievre also announced plans to allow Canadians to save more money in Tax-Free Savings Accounts.
“You will be allowed to contribute another $5,000 every single year as long as that money is invested in Canadian companies,” says Poilievre.
“This will bring billions of dollars of investment into Canadian companies who will then spend it on factories, equipment, tools, wages and making our economy self-reliant and strong.”
The federal election takes place on April 28th.
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