On Monday, US President-elect Donald Trump threatened to impose a 25% tariff on Canadian products, which would blatantly violate the terms of Canada’s free-trade deal with the U.S., threaten good unionized jobs, and undermine the economies of both nations.
Ontario, as the U.S.’s third-largest trading partner, is at the heart of this issue, with trade between the two totaling hundreds of billions of dollars annually. These reckless threats from the incoming President directly endanger Ontario’s workers, industries, and the communities that rely on this crucial economic partnership. However, the stakes are not just economic—they are deeply personal for the millions of workers who rely on these industries to support their families and build their futures.
At this critical juncture, complacency from our federal and provincial governments is not an option. While the specifics of these tariff threats remain unclear, the potential damage is undeniable.
Ontario Premier, Doug Ford took to social media to decry the tariff threat. “The federal government needs to take the situation at our border seriously. We need a Team Canada approach and response—and we need it now”, said Ford.
The Ontario Federation of Labour, as Canada’s largest Federation of Labour, has outreached to the Ford Government to offer assistance with an ‘all-hands-on-deck response’ to the impending threat. Our elected leaders must stand firm against harmful trade policies that undermine Ontario’s industries and the unionized jobs that sustain our communities. As federal and provincial leaders meet today, they must put workers and their families at the centre of their discussions.
The labour movement will not stand idly by while workers and entire sectors of the economy are put at risk. The OFL is calling on federal and provincial leaders to work in collaboration with representatives from Canadian labour when addressing threats against workers and their communities in every province, territory, and region of our country.
In the long term, governments at all levels, including Ontario’s, must prioritize the development of a robust industrial strategy that creates more good union jobs, grows and expands key sectors of the economy, and that builds on the expertise and recommendations of Canada’s labour movement.
