US says 'jack up Chinese EV tariffs', Canada says ‘yes sir’
Written by: Aidan Jonah
Canada’s perennial shows of obedience to US empire aren’t slowing down in 2024. Instead, they’re increasing in frequency.
The Toronto Star revealed that, on August 25, 2024, US White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan had visited Canadian PM Justin Trudeau and the Liberal cabinet in Nova Scotia, ahead of their cabinet retreat.
Sullivan, pining for a spot on Saturday Night Live after politics, began by telling reporters that “Canada will make its own determinations…”, and then dropped the punchline “… but the U.S. does believe that a united front, a co-ordinated approach on these issues benefits all of us”.
The US had already imposed 100 per cent tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles (EVs) back in May. The next day, Canada’s PM Trudeau announced that Canada would be following suit. Overcapacity and overproduction claims are centered upon complaints of China’s state support for industry through ‘rolling loans’ compared the capitalist ‘free market’. Deputy PM Chrystia Freeland claims that Chinese ‘overcapacity’ is designed to cripple the tiny Canadian EV industry (which Canada has only just started to invest heavily in). This is a blatant lie.
When capitalist countries can’t compete with socialist production, suddenly they discover the flaws of the ‘free market’ and make pretensions to hide the abandonment of a fundamental idea critical to the legitimacy of their ideology. No ‘free markets’ and no ‘free speech’ in the ‘True North, Strong and Free’, what a state of affairs for Canadians.
The irony of all ironies is that socialist China may be able to go through the World Trade Organization to seek the application of punitive measures against the US and Canada for EV tariffs, while the West created this very body to ensure capitalism’s continued world dominance, only allowing China in during 2001.
While China expressed its fierce opposition to the decision, one Canadian labour union will be mighty pleased. Unifor National President Lana Payne has gone to bat for Canada’s elites, by demanding tariffs on Chinese EVs, and standing alongside Deputy PM Freeland when she made the initial announcement of consultations for potential tariffs.
Ardent Zionist and anti-communist President of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association, Flavio Volpe, was also thrilled to hear of the tariffs.
PM Trudeau and Deputy PM Trudeau’s comedy routine is slamming 100 per cent tariffs on Chinese EVs, while their own mandate is that 100 per cent of cars sold in Canada in 2035 must be zero-emission.
Only some climate activists opposed the tariffs. The CBC received comment from Joanna Kyriazis, director of public affairs at Clean Energy Canada:
"Unfortunately, Canada made a decision today that will result in fewer affordable electric vehicles for Canadians, less competition and more climate pollution,"
Canadian workers can look forward to a lack of Chinese investment in Canadian EV factories, meaning less unionized jobs, while ordinary Canadians can look forward to just paying $35k for Chinese EVs or $40k CAD for Canadian-government approved EVs, since the BYD ‘Seagull’ retails for around $16k CAD. Jake Sullivan’s comedy routine concludes with this bow: Chinese EVs can still be of a similar price to other EVs, despite the 100 per cent tariffs. And BYD wants to enter the Canadian market, so this hypothetical may just become reality.
At that point, it’s unclear if Canada would then outright block Canadians from buying Chinese EVs, or quietly admit defeat.
The US will continue pulling Canada around like a dog on a leash, both in private through funding anti-China groups in Canada through the CIA-front National Endowment for Democracy, and in public through statements such as those of Jake Sullivan. Will ordinary Canadians do anything to help themselves? That’s the real question.
Aidan Jonah is the Editor-in-Chief of The Canada Files, a socialist, anti-imperialist news outlet founded in 2019. Jonah wrote a report for the 48th session of the UN Human Rights Council, held in September 2021.
Editor’s note: The Canada Files is the country's only news outlet focused on Canadian foreign policy. We've provided critical investigations & hard-hitting analysis on Canadian foreign policy since 2019, and need your support.
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