IIn this episode Ben Woodfinden and Shannon Phillips talk with National President of UNIFOR Lana Payne and discuss:

• Stellantis, subsidies and Trump Pressure 03:02:18
• Government Tools and Leverage 05:49:12
• On a Team Canada Strategy, and potential divergence between federal and provincial governments 10:36:15
• On the Future of the Canadian Auto Sector 22:00:01
• On Labour Power and Policy 32:06:10
• Unifors Position and it’s members 42:20:10

Key Takeaways

On Stellantis, Subsidies and Trump Pressure

• PAYNE: This is the most blatant example of a corporation appeasing Trump. Canada must play hardball, enforce commitments negotiated in 2023, and make companies feel consequences when they move Canadian jobs.
• PAYNE: Failure to act risks a domino effect — if Stellantis escapes accountability, others like GM could follow.
• PHILLIPS: What matters now is not rhetoric but tools — what governments can actually do to make firms fulfill their obligations.

On Government Tools and Leverage

• PAYNE: Canada has powerful levers if it chooses to use them, beginning with a tariff-remission strategy that rewards companies meeting Canadian production commitments and penalizes those that don’t.
• PAYNE: If you’re going to sell here, you need to build here. Market access, energy supply, and public subsidies are all bargaining chips.
• PAYNE: Governments can no longer rely only on incentives. The world has changed — we must use sticks as well as carrots.

On a Team Canada Strategy

• PHILLIPS: The provinces, especially Ontario, have meaningful leverage; their willingness to act matters.
• WOODFINDEN: Emerging divergence between Ford and Carney that was not there a few months ago. Ford is fighting openly while Ottawa appears more cautious.
• PAYNE: Canada risks fragmentation as provinces pursue separate interests. We need a strong Team Canada approach uniting unions, industry, and all levels of government.
• PAYNE: Trump’s trade posture is an existential threat. He’s coming for our auto jobs.
• PAYNE: Need to think about and plan for long-term resilience. We can’t just export raw materials and help someone else build their economy — we must build our own industrial base.

On the Future of the Canadian Auto Sector

• PAYNE: Before Trump’s trade war, Canada was finally rebuilding its footprint — battery plants, EV supply chains, and domestic R&D. U.S. backtracking threatens that progress.
• PAYNE: Warns that China’s massive overproduction of vehicles could soon flood the global market. Canada must plan now to compete.

On Labour Power and Policy

• PAYNE: Section 107 is a very dangerous path. It conditions employers to expect government rescue instead of bargaining fairly. Using 107 will not bring labour peace; it prolongs workplace problems.
• PHILLIPS: Government may need clearer guardrails before invoking 107.
• PAYNE: You don’t get to use 107 — that’s the starting point. Supports mediation and conciliation instead of forced arbitration.
• WOODFINDEN: Notes shifts in the political landscape as unionized and blue-collar voters move toward conservatives.

Shifting Political Coalitions and Realignments 

• PAYNE: Unifor stays non-partisan. We build our own power. Every party is chasing the working vote, which strengthens labour’s influence.
• PAYNE: The voter shift is about bread-and-butter issues — housing, wages, inflation — not ideology. People felt heard.

YouTube Video Credits: CBC News, CTV News, Global News, 4K Films By Adnan, Videoscape, Pierre Poilievre, balcony et-al, Luis Vega, Shape Properties, GommeBlog, Exploring Stunning Landscapes From Above, Motion Array

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.