by Atiya Jaffar, Canada Campaigns Manager
Today, like many of you, I woke up with a deep sense of confusion and uncertainty as I tried to make sense of our new reality: Trump’s tariffs are now in effect. As I got my two-year-old ready for daycare, I tuned into CBC, hoping for some clarity. Instead, I found myself grappling with even more questions—about what this trade war means for my family, my community, and our shared future.
This moment feels heavy. And it’s not reassuring that we’re heading into this storm without leadership, as the date of Trudeau’s resignation looms. It doesn’t help knowing that Big Oil, billionaires, and wealthy corporations are already exploiting this crisis to price-gouge us and push for policies that benefit their bottom line.
In this moment of confusion, I’m finding it helpful to ground myself in the truth. So let’s take a moment to get some facts straight.
First off, American tariffs and Canada’s retaliatory measures will hurt people on both sides of the border. The price tags on basic necessities will spike and make life even more expensive for everyday people like us.
Secondly, this vulnerability isn’t an accident. People like you and me are vulnerable right now because for decades, politicians have tied our economy tightly to the U.S., using the false promises of free-trade to push forward with an agenda of deregulation and privatization.
But the most important thing to remember is that there is another path forward, one that grows Canadian resilience by breaking free from American instability and corporate greed.
That’s why we need a Green New Deal for a Resilient Canada that secures a better future for all of us by unleashing a new wave of public services that build a green economy while ensuring that we take care of each other.
With the Liberal party leadership race concluding this weekend and an election around the corner, let’s raise a united voice to support the bold action this moment demands. Send a letter to Canadian federal party leaders–including Liberal leadership hopefuls–calling on them to support a Green New Deal.
We know that Big Oil and their allies in office are using this crisis to push forward with their agenda: more pipelines, more fossil fuel subsidies, and more cuts to critical climate action measures. Their pipe dreams will only make them richer while leaving the rest of us more vulnerable to fossil fuel volatility and the climate emergency.
But if we fight for a Green New Deal, we can build a strong, independent, and decarbonized economy. Here are just a few of the things we can win:
An East-West Renewable Energy Grid powered by Indigenous-owned projects and community energy co-operatives, providing cheap, clean energy to every corner of the country while creating millions of new jobs.
A Coast-to-Coast Rapid Rail System that connects our communities, boosting pan-Canadian economic development while drastically cutting emissions by reducing reliance on air travel.
A Youth Climate Corps that trains up a generation of young people to work on projects like the ones above, and many more, that build resilience against US aggression, the climate emergency, and the cost-of-living crisis.
In this moment, we have a choice: let corporations and right-wing politicians dictate our future, or build an economy that works for all of us by investing in the services and industries people and the planet truly need. Send a letter to Canadian leaders now telling them about the kind of future that you want to see.
If you want to dive deeper into what’s possible, check out this blog by my friend Hadrian Mertins-Kirkwood at the CCPA.
Can we count on you to make a contribution so we can build power and fight for a future that works for all of us?
Photo Credit: Abdul Malik