Local NDP officials outline plan to address tariff war

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New Democrats in the Windsor area outline their plans to resolve the tariff war between the United States and Canada on Thursday, believing that auto crews need to be clearer.

“If we respond now – which is my response from other parties – basically tat-tat-tariff, that doesn’t solve this situation,” said Brian Masse, a New Democratic candidate for Windsor West.

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President Donald Trump did not impose new tariffs on the Canadian auto industry on Wednesday, but introduced tariffs earlier this year prompted Prime Minister Mark Carney to impose a 25% retaliatory tariff on US vehicles worth $35 billion.

“We do agree with the fact that American vehicles will collect returns what is going on. But it can’t be just one person,” Masse said.

Carney said taxes on U.S. imports would raise about $8 billion, which would be transferred to workers and businesses affected by the trade war.

But there is no plan on how to support workers, Masse said.

“We’re going to send $8 billion back to the auto workers, but we don’t know how… This is… Strantis workers can’t tell you now how the government is backing back now? How is that possible?”

Alex Ilijiki, Windsor’s NDP candidates – Tecumseh- Lakeshore, MPP Lisa Gretzky (NDP – Windsor West) and Unifor Local 200 President John D’Agnolo joined Masse at the campaign headquarters on Walker Road to address tariffs.

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Stelantis announced on Thursday that it would suspend production at assembly plants in Windsor and Mexico for two weeks, affecting more than 3,000 local workers.

“I want to impress Canadians, it’s time to buy Canadians, build Canadians,” Masse said. “We can actually do domestic procurement. This is crucial for municipal, provincial and federal fleets.

“There is no reason they can’t buy minivans made in Windsor or other plants in Strandis. That doesn’t solve everything, but they’ll lighten up a little.”

Masse has long been pushing for national auto policies, which he said will prepare for the situation.

ilija Advocate for removal of GST from all Canadian-made vehicles. He said New Democratic leader Jagmeet Singh and Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre support the idea. “Now we need to get Mark Carney to do the same.”

Gretzky said the electric vehicle motives built for Windsor should be restored. The Ontario government’s incentives are up to $5,000, which means EVs, mixed or zero-emission vehicles purchased or leased, ended in 2018. The federal government kickback ended in March.

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She also called on the Doug Ford administration to recall the legislature. “The (progressive) Conservative government has absolutely no excuse not to recall the legislature and let all elected officials, regardless of political conditions, come up with solutions together.”

D’Agnolo, a worker representing Windsor’s Ford Motor Company, outlines the ominous future and expects tariffs on auto parts imported into the United States on May 3.

“Now, the decision has to be made because they will decide on the parts facilities,” he said. “Now, the company has to call each of these parts facilities and say, are you going to survive?”

“Companies will not be able to survive,” D’Agnolo said. “They will not be able to survive through this. So we have to involve our government.”

He said tax breaks do not work for the unemployed. He also pointed out that the United States also imposes tariffs on imported aluminum and steel.

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He said auto workers are talking about the economy “continuously” because the anxiety levels are high.

“I heard on the floor that ‘if we get an annex’, and I said to the workers, OK, if we get annexed, do you think Ford Motor Company will give you the same U.S. funding pension? These are things we’ve been talking about.

“The scary part is that I don’t have an answer.”

He said the car company will try to stay in Canada. “I built the engine for the No. 1 sales truck in Canada. They don’t want to lose that money. They want to build here because we support them.

“We can’t allow them to leave. It’s impossible. There are a lot of people who make a living. They don’t know what to do. This city will be a ghost town. Ingersoll will be a ghost town.”

bumacleod@postmedia.com

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