US President Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs would severely damage the Canadian economy, our public services and our way of life. These tariffs are not a one-off: they are part of a larger anti-democratic effort by his administration to solidify billionaire control over government, stoke fear and racism, and cement US imperialism in Canada and around the globe.
We need to meet this crisis with bold action and progressive, public solutions that protect jobs, services, our communities, and our way of life.
The stakes are too high for us to rely on corporate goodwill and give in to right-wing demands.
Instead, CUPE is calling on the federal government to:
Provide income support for workers through the existing Employment Insurance Work-Sharing program. Do not create a program that subsidizes profits like the pandemic-era CEWS did.
Expand training support for workers by reversing recent cuts to EI training programs and expanding programs to retrain workers affected by the economic disruption ahead.
Guarantee jobs for young workers by working with public sector unions and municipalities, so that young people don’t pay the harshest price of this downturn.
Stabilize and Trump-proof the economy with public ownership of key transportation and energy infrastructure through the Canada Infrastructure Bank, which has $22 billion at its disposal. The Canada Development Investment Corporation can be used to buy stakes that shore up large companies and support them in the public interest, not for profit.
Develop public manufacturing in sectors like pharmaceuticals that benefit us all.
Put emergency nationalization on the table. If a company doing business in Canada threatens to move nationally important operations to the US, the federal government could take ownership.
Expand the Canadian journalism tax credit to support labour costs of news production. Currently, it applies to print journalism but expanding it to broadcasting will help maintain broadcast journalism jobs in smaller centres.
Stop telecommunications outsourcing by making any federal subsidies to the telecommunications sector contingent on jobs being created in Canada and eliminating outsourcing of work.
Support Canadian media by redirecting advertising dollars away from platforms owned by tech oligarchs Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg, and into advertising that supports Canadian news programming and jobs.
Maintain telecommunications protections that prevent large foreign telecommunications companies from doing business in Canada and only allow Canadian use of the broadcasting spectrum.
Recognize and uphold the rights of Indigenous peoples through the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, and the rights provided to Indigenous peoples by the Jay Treaty. The federal government has committed to implementing UNDRIP’s principles of free, prior and informed consent.
The Declaration clearly states that Indigenous peoples have a right to a meaningful say in the decisions that impact their land, territories, languages, cultures and way of life – that includes land development or resource extraction on traditional territories, or changes to laws and legislation that affect the lives of Indigenous peoples. The 1794 Jay Treaty provides the right for Indigenous peoples born on both sides of the Canada-U.S. border to work and travel freely across it, and we call on the federal government to fully recognize these rights.
Say no to right-wing policies
Pierre Poilievre, provincial conservative governments, the business lobby and the frontrunners in the Liberal leadership race are pitching the same old right-wing policies that have failed before and will fail again. They want to eliminate regulations, cut corporate taxes and slash federal spending. These regressive moves won’t encourage business investment – but they will harm workers and communities.
Businesses are required to follow different regulations, or rules, from province to province. These are sometimes called “interprovincial trade barriers.” Aligning rules in areas like workers’ rights, health and safety protections, and food safety makes sense if every province adopts the highest standard.
Right-wing politicians and interest groups often use the label of “interprovincial trade barriers” as a reason to undermine rules and regulations that serve a valid purpose. It’s crucial to approach the removal of such regulations with cautious and careful consideration, ensuring we don’t eliminate valuable protections in the process.
Tax cuts mean less money for vital services. Governments should be looking to raise, not cut, revenues to help pay for the supports workers and communities will need through this crisis. A good first step would be a hefty tax on companies owned by billionaires.
A recession will put pressure on government budgets at all levels, just when our public services are needed the most. The federal government should increase federal transfers for health care, education, social services and municipalities, to create jobs and soften the blow of a recession and forecasted spike in inflation.