Windsor West MP Brian Masse is urging the federal government to develop national strategies for sectors that would be the hardest hit if threatened tariffs are implemented.
U.S. President Donald Trump didn't impose tariffs on Canadian goods on day one of his presidency as he originally threatened. However, several reports indicate that a memo was sent to U.S. federal agencies that instructed them to re-evaluate trade policies with Canada and Mexico.
"Part of Trump's strategy is also to scare investment away by making sure it's a moving target and if it's not that issue at that moment, that day it could be another one. That's a way of getting de-investment from Canada," said Masse. "When tool shops and other places, mould makers and other auto investors or agricultural industry are looking at ramping up or investing they're going to put those things on hold. That's what's happened, that's what the businesses are already telling us."
To protect Canadian industries, Masse said the NDP would implement national strategies for the auto sector and agricultural sector.
"Regardless of the Trump tariffs we should be working on and using this as an advantage for ourselves to build domestic industries and a domestic strategy for our auto sector or agricultural sector and reinforce what we should have been doing a long time ago, buy Canadian," said Masse.
Masse and the NDP party are also calling on the government to hire more Canadian Border Service Agents to help improve border security.