The federal government is not considering dropping tariffs it imposed last year on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs), steel and aluminum, despite Beijing’s retaliation and U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to launch a trade war with Canada, according to the industry minister.
Ottawa imposed a 100 per cent import tax on Chinese EVs and a 25 per cent import tariff on Chinese steel and aluminum last October. Beijing retaliated over the weekend by imposing nearly $4 billion in tariffs on Canadian agricultural products, including canola oil and pork.
"We’re going to stand strong,” said Francois-Philippe Champagne, minister of innovation, science and industry, in an interview with Vassy Kapelos on CTV News Channel’s Power Play. “We want to protect our industry. We want to protect our workers. We want to protect our communities.”
The federal government, following the lead of then-U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration, imposed a 100 per cent import tax on EVs produced in China in October of last year, accusing Beijing of “distorting global trade” by exporting EVs at “unfairly low prices.”
Ottawa also imposed a 25 per cent import tax on Chinese-made steel and aluminum last October, accusing China of “pervasive subsidization” of its steel and aluminum industry.
In the wake of Trump’s decision to launch a trade war with Canada and China’s decision to impose new tariffs on Canadian products, B.C. Premier David Eby urged the federal government to rethink its tariff policy with all countries, including China.
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I think the argument is to protect Canadian jobs and the billions they’ve invested in EV production here. Which would totally disappear since Chinese EVs are so cheap due to the CCP direct funding to it making the market here non competitive. I just don’t see the oligarch argument here.
Talking with China is path to get those investments completed and full production started. Modest tariffs meant to raise revenue with perhaps quotas is step to have a plan B if those investments get cancelled, and a threat to have them not cancelled.
I guess you skipped the part about funding pipelines and hounding protesters with the RCMP, both benefiting the oligarchs in big oil.
I mean, it’s kind of a non-sequitur here, on the subject of Chinese EVs.
Nothing happens in a vacuum, driving down the accessibility and affordability of EVs increases and prolongs the demand for petroleum, which is incinerating the planet to serve the greed of the oligarchs. If you can’t or won’t see the connection, “ignorance is strength” as they say.