In response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff threats, Canada’s national public sector workers union is calling on the feds to forcibly take ownership of any “nationally important” company that threatens to move its operations to the U.S.
The Canadian Union of Public Employees called on the federal government to assert public ownership of companies in Canadian markets and spend more tax dollars to fight back against Trump’s “imperialism.”
“US President Donald Trump’s threatened tariffs would severely damage the Canadian economy, our public services and our way of life,” CUPE said in its statement. “These tariffs are not a one-off: they are part of a larger anti-democratic effort by his administration to solidify billionaire control over government, stoke fear and racism, and cement US imperialism in Canada and around the globe.”
It called on the state to “meet this crisis with bold action and progressive, public solutions.”
Among those “progressive” solutions, CUPE wants the government to seize control of any Canadian business owner who wants to leave Canada for lower taxes and less regulatory burden that the new U.S. administration promises.
“Put emergency nationalization on the table,” the announcement said. “If a company doing business in Canada threatens to move nationally important operations to the US, the federal government could take ownership.”
This week, the Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers and Businesses Canada, announced half of its members now have premises in the U.S. out of necessity to protect themselves and the jobs they provide amid an “anti-business” climate in Canada.
Though manufacturers and businesses say they have moved premises to the U.S. because of problems caused by the Canadian government, CUPE demands that the state grow larger and its involvement in the market expand further.
It called for the government to “Trump-proof” the economy by taking ownership of “key transportation and energy infrastructure.” It advocated using the Canada Infrastructure Bank to spend $22 billion buying stakes in private companies, “supporting them in the public interest.”
CUPE called for Canada to “develop public manufacturing” in sectors such as pharmaceutical production and to “guarantee” jobs for young workers by working with unions such as itself and municipalities.
The union called for more government spending in handouts as well, advocating for an increase in programs such as Employment Insurance.
It also wants the state to increase its funding of Canadian media by increasing the Canadian Journalism tax credit and paying for advertising that “supports” it.
The group want to ensure that foreign competition stays out of the market. And ensure that Canada’s telecommunications market bans foreign companies from using Canada’s broadcasting spectrum.
To fight back against Trump, CUPE wants more federal spending for health care, education, social services and municipalities, in general, to “create jobs and soften the blow of a recession and forecasted spike in inflation.”
The federal union also advocated against one political party in particular.
According to a countdown clock of Canada’s current estimated federal debt created by the Canadian Taxpayers Federation, Canada is currently nearly $1.25 trillion in debt.
It accused Conservatives such as Pierre Poilievre and “conservative provincial governments” of plans to reduce government spending, taxes, and regulations are “regressive” and won’t spur on economic growth but will “harm” Canadians.
“Tax cuts mean less money for vital services. Governments should be looking to raise, not cut, revenues to help pay for the support workers and communities will need through this crisis,” CUPE wrote. “A good first step would be a hefty tax on companies owned by billionaires.”
When discussing his plan to cut taxes for producers, businesses and workers to spur economic growth, Poilievre noted he would take large cuts out of corporate welfare to pay for the tax breaks.
