Flanked by Windsor West MP Brian Masse and his provincial counterpart MPP Lisa Gretzky, Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles had a simple ask of Premier Doug Ford.
Stiles, in Windsor on Monday, urged the Premier to postpone any plans for an early election and work with her party on Ontario's response to the U.S. President-Elect's threat to impose a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian imports.
"New Democrats are ready to work with the government to push back on these tariffs. Doug Ford needs to put the good of the province ahead of his political interests," declared Stiles. "This is a moment where we need to stand together."
For months, Ford has hinted he may call an election this spring. He doesn't have to until June 2026.
Stiles said with the political uncertainty in Ottawa, workers in Ontario can't afford an uncoordinated response from Canada.
The clock is running out. Donald Trump will be inaugurated as the President of the United States next Monday.
On Monday, Stiles met with Unifor Local 444, 200, and 195 members at the Unifor Hall on Turner Road ahead of her announcement.
The secretary-treasurer at Unifor Local 444, Manny Cordosa, admitted that this is a stressful time for his members.
"Our members are nervous and should be," said Cardosa. "Now is not the time to be picking ourselves apart. Calling an election at this point in time would not serve Ontarians well."
Recent data from Statistics Canada suggests the threatened tariffs could put 15.4 per cent of jobs in the Windsor and Sarnia area at risk. Masse suggested the figure may be higher because the agency didn't count spinoff jobs.
"It's really hard to understand the repercussions," said Masse. "But what we can do is control some of our responses in a better-organized way."