STATEMENT: 30-day Tariff Pause and Next Steps

As you are likely aware, a 30-day pause on the tariffs has been put in place after a call between Prime Minister Trudeau and President Trump.  

This is welcome news in terms of the impact this would have on workers and our economy. However, at this stage, this is a pause, and if the past month has taught us anything, it is that we should be prepared for the unexpected. 

We now have 30 days to plan, prepare, and continue the work we have started. 

It is imperative that the discussions and work that has begun on implementing systemic changes to make our economy more diversified and resilient must continue. We must continue to advocate and push for progressive changes to the employment insurance system to better serve workers in a changing world. Our province’s procurement processes should be altered to better support local workers and businesses. Our governments should move forward with buy local and buy Canadian campaigns, programming, and supports. And as always, unions will continue to push for better for all workers at the bargaining table. Preparations and planning must also proceed as if the 30-day pause does not lead to a lasting trade peace. 

Now is not the time to let our guard down; if anything, we should be doubling down on our collective efforts to strengthen our economy and our industrial capacity. Those who have not learned from history are doomed to repeat it. We must learn, we must adapt, and we must prepare. We will also push to keep the Premier’s Roundtable on trade in place and move forward with the work we have begun.  

Onward.