Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre has pledged to match steep U.S. tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles if elected, something the Liberal government is considering but has not announced.
The call comes after Ottawa wrapped up a 30-day consultation process on Chinese EVs last week and has not said when exactly those findings — or decisions that may come as a result — will be made public only that it will be “soon.”
Speaking on background, a government official said the finance department – which launched the consultation process – is reviewing submissions as quickly as it can.
The Conservative leader is also calling for tariffs on Chinese steel, aluminum, EV batteries, and wants Ottawa to stop handing out rebates for the purchase of Chinese EVs.
Speaking at a steel plant in Hamilton Friday, Poilievre criticized Beijing for “weak labour and environmental standards” producing “artificially cheap steel and aluminum and EVs” and threatening Canadian workers.
“Trudeau has done nothing to protect our workers and our jobs. Worse than that — this is where it gets really crazy — he’s giving out rebates for people to buy Chinese made cars.”
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Poilievre is proposing:
- 100 per cent tariff on Chinese-made EVs entering Canada
- 50 per cent tariff on semiconductors and solar cells
- 25 per cent tariff on steel, aluminum and other critical minerals
- 25 per cent tariff on EV batteries, battery parts
Canada’s automotive sector and Ontario Premier Doug Ford urged the federal government to follow the U.S’s lead by hiking tariffs on Chinese EVs from 25 per cent to 100 per cent.
Last week GM Canada President Kristian Aquilina said doing so would create a “fair playing field.”
In June, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland said she was concerned with China’s “unfair” trade practices undermining the Canadian EV industry, which has received billions of dollars in government subsidies.
Freeland also highlighted potential national security concerns related to Chinese EVs with one expert describing the vehicles to Global News as “rolling spy vans.”
Katherine Cuplinskas, spokesperson for the finance minister, said Freeland has been “clear that action is necessary – such as a surtax.”
But Poilievre accused the Liberals of dragging their feet, and not doing enough to shield the industry.
“Trudeau has failed to protect our workers against this economic predation,” he said.
“We’re going to bring home those paychecks to Canada, bring home our jobs.”
Freeland’s spokesperson Katherine Cuplinskas said Poilievre is “two months late to the conversation.”
“It is incredibly rich for Pierre Poilievre to attempt to repackage the government’s position that action is necessary to protect Canadian auto workers from unfair Chinese trade practices in electric vehicles and claim it as his own,” said Cuplinskas.
“As the true defender of Canadian workers and industries, including of the auto manufacturing, steel, and aluminum sectors, our government will have more to say soon,” she added.