Thousands of union members and labour allies gathered at Windsor’s Riverfront Festival Plaza Saturday to protest against U.S. trade policies they say threaten Canadian jobs and industries.
The “Protect Canadian Jobs” rally, organized by Unifor, drew participants from across Ontario who travelled to the border city to voice opposition to recent tariff measures imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump.
“Trump’s trade war is a direct attack on Canadian workers, and today we are sending a clear message – we won’t back down,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne, addressing the crowd. “We will fight for our jobs, our industries, our future and our country.”
Union members arrived by bus from numerous Ontario cities including Brampton, Ingersoll, Kitchener, London, Oakville, Oshawa, St. Catharines and Toronto.
Labour leaders demand action
Unifor Ontario Regional Director Samia Hashi characterized the trade dispute as “economic warfare” affecting communities across the country.
“U.S. tariffs are killing good Canadian jobs and threatening entire communities,” said Hashi. “This is about more than a trade dispute – this is about defending every Canadian worker.”
Canadian Labour Congress President Bea Bruske joined Unifor leadership at the event, calling for a united national response to U.S. trade policies.
“This is a fight for the heart of Canada’s economy and the livelihood of every worker,” said Bruske. “Trump’s reckless tariffs are designed to destabilize us – but we are not powerless.”
Workers share impacts
The rally featured testimonials from workers in sectors most affected by the trade tensions, including auto manufacturing, parts suppliers and forestry. Health care workers also spoke about potential impacts on Canada’s social safety net if economic conditions worsen.
Union policy demands
Unifor is advocating for several government measures in response to the trade tensions, including strategic tariff retaliation, penalties for companies that relocate operations outside Canada, enhanced income supports for affected workers, and “Buy Canadian” procurement policies.
The union is also pushing for export management of natural resources and emergency relief programs to prevent layoffs in affected industries.
Unifor represents 320,000 workers across various sectors of the Canadian economy.
