Canada Votes 2025: Answering your tariff questions live
CBC’s senior business reporter Peter Armstrong answers your tariff questions ahead of Canada’s federal election.
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This afternoon, Honda released a statement confirming it has no current plans to move any manufacturing capacity out of Canada.Honda has a plant in Alliston, Ont., that employs some 4,200 people.A Japanese news report that Honda was considering relocating some of its Canadian and Mexican operations to the U.S. in response to the ongoing trade war made waves on the campaign trail this morning.The Conservative, Liberal and NDP leaders were all in the Montreal area this morning ahead of the debates tomorrow and Thursday.The NDP and Bloc Québécois have called for tomorrow’s French-language debate to be rescheduled because it’s set to overlap with an important Montreal Canadiens game.Updates
April 15
5 minutes ago
For Habs’s sake: Blanchet asked French debate organizers to reschedule
Jenna Benchetrit
Yves-François Blanchet confirmed during an afternoon event in Montreal that he made the request earlier today, but said he hasn’t heard back yet.
The Bloc leader said during a separate event this morning that he would seriously think about calling the Leaders’ Debates Commission to ask them to move the debate, after a Radio-Canada reporter recalled that former Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe did the same thing — successfully — in 2011.
The NDP also called for the debate to be rescheduled in a press release earlier this afternoon.
53 minutes ago
Trump hasn’t shifted on 51st state stance, says U.S. press secretary
Verity Stevenson
Trump believes Canadians would ‘benefit greatly’ from becoming 51st state, White House rep reiterates
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, answering questions from CBC reporter Katie Simpson about auto tariffs and Canada-U.S. relations, said Tuesday: ‘I would reject the president’s position on Canada has shifted,’ reiterating that President Donald Trump maintains the U.S. has been subsidizing Canada’s national defence, and that Canadians would ‘benefit greatly’ from becoming the 51st state.
Hey everyone, I’ll be working on your live updates this afternoon. Over in Washington, my colleague Katie Simpson asked White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt whether Donald Trump was considering offering relief on current auto tariffs or the additional tariffs on auto parts coming in May.
Leavitt said she had no news on changes to auto-related tariffs, but that the U.S. president “has flexibility when it comes to negotiations and talks.” Ultimately, though, “his goal … is to put the American worker first,” she said.
Katie also asked Leavitt what is behind the U.S. president’s apparent shift in tone on Canadian sovereignty in recent weeks.
Leavitt rejected that Trump’s position has shifted, adding it might just be because he doesn’t get asked about it often by reporters in the Oval Office.
“The United States has been subsidizing Canada’s national defence and he believes that Canadians would benefit greatly from becoming the 51st state of the United States of America,” said Leavitt.
Trump has said Canada does not contribute enough of its GDP towards defence spending, relying instead on U.S. military power. Canada has pledged to meet NATO’s two-per-cent GDP target by 2032.
2 hours ago
Indigenous voters want a ‘voice at the table’
Meagan Fitzpatrick
Sandra Dewing is a welding student at Kenjgewin Teg. (Meagan Fitzpatrick/CBC)Hi, I report live from across Ontario for CBC News Network. Today I’m on Manitoulin Island, and more specifically, in the M’Chigeeng First Nation. I’m at Kenjgewin Teg, a post-secondary institution that is hosting an on-campus voting site run by Elections Canada.
Sandra Dewing is a welding student here and plans on casting a ballot. “We are lucky to live in a democratic society,” she said. “If you don’t vote, you don’t have a right to complain.”
Dewing, who is training for a second career, said she’d like to hear more commitments from candidates for increased mental health services for young people in her community.
Adolphus Trudeau, a retired firefighter and former local councillor, is also studying welding.
“What’s heavy on my mind is First Nations issues. We’ve got to have that voice at the table,” he said.
Trudeau, and others I spoke to today, said their voices are not being heard in this campaign so far.
The school is hosting a candidates meeting tomorrow and Beverley Roy, president of Kenjgewin Teg, plans to ask candidates about their plans for Indigenous education and rights. She said she hasn’t heard enough about those issues during the campaign.
“That’s part of the tough questions I’m going to be asking tomorrow. I want to hear what their positions are,” she said.
Indigenous voices, and their votes, should not be ignored, said Roy. “Indigenous people can make a difference in these types of elections, especially in our riding.”
2 hours ago
Ontario plant will operate ‘at full capacity’ with no changes, says Honda
Jenna Benchetrit
Honda Canada says ‘no changes are being considered at this time’ for Ontario plant
Honda Canada says it has no current plans to move production out of Canada and its manufacturing facility in Alliston, Ont., ‘will operate at full capacity for the foreseeable future.’ This comes after a Japanese news outlet reported Tuesday that Honda is working on plans to switch some car production from Mexico and Canada to the U.S. amid the ongoing trade war.
After a Japanese newspaper reported that Honda was considering moving some of its production out of Canada and Mexico and into the U.S., a spokesperson for the automaker’s Canadian branch has shared a statement.
“This was not an announcement by Honda and we cannot comment on the specifics of this morning’s headlines,” the spokesperson said.
“However, we can confirm that our Canadian manufacturing facility in Alliston, Ont., will operate at full capacity for the foreseeable future and no changes are being considered at this time.”
The spokesperson said the company constantly studies its options to deal with unforeseen events so that it can “mitigate negative impacts on our business.”
2 hours ago
Puck problems
Jenna Benchetrit
Montreal Canadiens fans sit in the stands. (Graham Hughes/The Canadian Press)The NDP just released a statement calling on organizers to reschedule the French-language leaders’ debate and avoid a conflict with an all-important Habs game that could determine their playoff chances.
The game is at 7 p.m. ET tomorrow and the debate starts an hour later — that’s a lot of chirping to watch, and Singh said he doesn’t want Canadians to have to choose.
“Hockey is in our blood,” said Singh. “This scheduling conflict makes the political system look out of touch and is going to have a serious impact on who tunes in to the only French debate of the campaign.”
As Michael mentioned earlier, the request isn’t without precedent. But it seems unlikely to happen this time around with just a day to go until puck drop.
3 hours ago
Hockey and politics collide for French debate
Michael Woods
Blanchet asked about Hockey and politics colliding for French-language debate
Bloc Québécois Leader Yves François-Blanchet is asked about the Montreal Canadiens playing a game that could clinch them a playoff spot the same evening as the French-language federal election debate. In 2011, then Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe led the charge to reschedule the French-language debate to avoid conflict with a Canadiens-Bruins playoff game. Blanchet said he would get in touch with the Leaders’ Debates Commission to float the idea rescheduling this year’s debate, too.
The French-language leaders’ debate is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET tomorrow, but the Montreal Canadiens’ playoff hopes could be on the line at the same time.
Back in 2011, the French-language debate was rescheduled to avoid a Canadiens-Bruins playoff game. Gilles Duceppe, leader of the Bloc Québécois at the time, led the charge.
Current Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet was asked about this today and he was surprised that Duceppe’s request in 2011 was successful.
“I didn’t know that,” Blanchet said. “I’ll reflect on that, and we’ll call the [Leaders’ Debates Commission] and see what they think of that idea.”
A couple of things to note: Duceppe’s request happened several days in advance, and he had the support of other parties in his efforts. That’s not the case this time.
The game also might not matter. If the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are chasing the Habs for that playoff spot, lose tonight against Philadelphia, the Habs clinch a playoff spot. Then tomorrow’s game becomes far less important.
Lastly, I have to add: my beloved Ottawa Senators have a game Thursday night, in conflict with the English-language debate. But they clinched a playoff spot last week so I don’t have to deal with any of that stress (sorry Habs fans).
4 hours ago
Ottawa says it will help businesses hurt by tariffs
The Canadian Press
Federal Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne has announced help for Canadian businesses affected by the trade dispute with the U.S., giving them time to adjust their supply chains.
The minister says the government intends to provide temporary six-month tariff relief for goods imported from the U.S. that are used in Canadian manufacturing, processing, and food and beverage packaging.
The temporary exemption will also apply on goods used to support public health, health care, public safety and national security objectives.
Under the plan, automakers that continue to manufacture vehicles in Canada will also be allowed to import a certain number of U.S.-assembled, CUSMA-compliant vehicles into Canada, free of the countermeasure tariffs that Canada has imposed (CUSMA is the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement on trade).
The number of tariff-free vehicles a company is permitted to import will be reduced if there are reductions in Canadian production or investment.
4 hours ago
Poilievre still vowing to defund CBC
Catharine Tunney
Poilievre is asked if he will defund the CBC within 100 days of forming government
Pierre Poilievre, speaking from Montreal on Day 24 of the election campaign, says he does not have a time frame for when he would defund the CBC. Poilievre added he would continue funding Radio-Canada for the francophone community.
I’m Cat Tunney, following the Conservatives this week. One of Poilievre’s cornerstone policies leading up the election has been to gut CBC, the English-language public broadcaster. It’s a promise that often elicits cheers from his supporters at rallies and amongst Conservatives whenever they gather at conventions.
In a campaign dominated by renewed Canadian patriotism, however, the bombastic leader appeared to have taken his foot off the pedal on the policy, rarely mentioning CBC in his stump speeches.
During this morning’s announcement in a Montreal hotel conference room, a reporter asked Poilievre a simple yes or no question: will you defund the CBC within 100 days of forming government?
The short answer: yes, a Poilievre government would defund the CBC (although he didn’t commit to a timeline). In the same breath, he suggested that he sees a way for the CBC to survive, but without government funding.
“We’re going to defund the CBC and let Canadians enjoy it as a non-profit, self-funded organization,” Poilievre said.
And a small note: CBC has shown up to every news conference he has had this week but has been shut out of asking one of the limited four questions.
4 hours ago
Honda not moving Canadian production to U.S., industry minister says
Lucas Powers
Vehicle assembly underway at Honda’s sprawling plant in Alliston, Ont. The plant employs some 4,200 people. (Peter Power/AFP/Getty Images)Industry Minister Anita Anand said this morning that she has been in contact with representatives from Honda and that the company is not currently considering moving any Canadian production to the U.S.
“We are aware of the unconfirmed reports of future changes to Honda’s production plans for Canada. I am in close contact with the company, and Honda has communicated that no such production decisions affecting Canadian operations have been made, and are not being considered at this time,” Anand said in a post on X.
A Japanese newspaper reported today that the auto giant was considering shifting some of its Canadian and Mexican operations to the U.S. in response to Trump’s tariffs.
Anand said she’ll be meeting with the CEO of Honda Canada later today.
4 hours ago
If you sell cars here, you have to build here, says Singh
Jenna Benchetrit
Singh says report that Honda could move some production out of Canada is ‘deeply concerning’
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, speaking from Montreal on Day 24 of the election campaign, says a report that Honda is considering moving some Canadian car production to the U.S. could “have a devastating impact on the automobile sector for the long term.”
The NDP leader was asked what his party would propose to prevent companies from moving production out of Canada.
Singh, noting that Canada has made big investments in the auto sector and related infrastructure, said companies “shouldn’t think that they can take those investments out of our country.”
Canada has a large and growing market of consumers, making it a desirable one for auto companies, and it “could be” required for companies to build here if they want to sell to Canadians, he said.
“If you’re going to sell a car in Canada, you have to have a footprint in Canada, and you have to make cars or you have to have jobs here,” said Singh.
