Feb. 3
Trump’s tariff announcement was a turning point for our country. The President declared economic war on Canadian workers and our country. There is no turning back. No one should let their guard down at this 30-day pause on the tariffs. The threat of tariffs and therefore the continued threat of economic harm to the workers of Canada must be front and centre. We know the mere threat of tariffs is damaging to our economy. As a country, we must use the days ahead to continue to bring Canadians together, to plan for a potential trade war, and to use every single available lever to build a strong, resilient, and diverse economy. Make no mistake, Canada’s decision to push back hard against these tariffs from the U.S. was an important statement about our resolve and determination. We will need to rely on that resolve in the difficult days ahead.
TORONTO— Canada must retaliate swiftly and definitively to the unjust imposition of a sweeping 25% tariff on Canadian goods and 10% tariff on energy imported to the United States, says Unifor.
“With the implementation of these tariffs, President Trump has declared a trade war with Canada and with Canadian workers,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “Trump’s decision to go to battle with America’s largest trading partner will hurt working people on both sides of the border and inflict real economic damage to both countries.”
The U.S. tariffs are reportedly scheduled to come into effect on Tuesday February 4, 2025.
“I believe Trump has underestimated Canadians. He has failed to realize that he has enraged and united an entire nation that is ready to fight to defend every last job in this country,” said Payne. “We will never forget this act of hostility against our workers, and we must take every measure possible – utilize every ounce of creativity we have – to build a strong, resilient, and diverse economy to never be held hostage by America again.”
Payne, a member of the Prime Minister’s Council on Canada-U.S. Relations, has called for a strong response to tariffs in addition to other measures including Buy Canadian protocols, leveraging procurement policies to support Canadian jobs and industries and better management of strategic national resources through industrial policy.
Unifor has also called for enhanced income supports for workers with improved access to Employment Insurance benefits and emergency relief programs to mitigate risk of layoff and sustain companies in their operations.
Read Unifor’s recommendations to protect jobs and shore up the economy here.
Unifor is Canada’s largest union in the private sector, representing 320,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.
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