Liberal leader Mark Carney, more than a week after the Conservatives made the same announcement, promised his government will fund apprenticeships for skilled trade workers.
The Liberals promise to pay $8,000 per apprenticeship — an announcement that follows Tory leader Pierre Poilievre’s March 21 announcement to cover $4,000.
Carney introduced his plan in the context of “President Trump’s tariffs” and stressed the need to “support our workers” during a trade war.
“The next decades are going to be a great time to be in the skilled trades,” said Carney at a Saturday morning press conference.
“President Trump’s tariffs are already impacting Canadian industry, but by investing in workers, we will build a much stronger economy. My new government will make apprenticeship training more affordable so we can build more in this country and connect workers to higher-paying jobs.”
The Liberals also promise to double funding for the Union Training and Innovation Program from $25 million to $50 million annually, spend $20 million to expand college training, and issue $10,000 to employers for each new apprentice hired.
In another promise that mirrors the Conservatives, Carney also announced the Liberals will expand the Labour Mobility Tax Deduction for workers who travel more than 120 km for work.
Carney was asked about auto manufacturing giant GM hiring hundreds of workers for its Indiana plant to make the same vehicle, the Silverado, that is made in Oshawa, ON, indicating the company is preparing to move GM operations to the US, and if he “plans to stop GM from moving to the US.”
“We're doing several things, and the core of our strategy is to fight, protect and fulfill. In terms of fighting, we have put in place, I announced two days ago, counter tariffs on United States autos into Canada,” replied Carney.
“So for example, if a Silverado truck is made in the United States, it is going to face a 25% tariff on that truck coming into Canada, and it's going to be based on the content, the non-Canadian content, non-Mexican content, of that truck. On average, US vehicles as a whole, have lower — it will have a higher tariff effect on that.”
“Secondly, we are making available enormous financing for Canadian enterprises.”
“Third, we've put in place a new strategic Response Fund, which will supply support.”
“The US has put in place punitive tariffs on an industry which is fully integrated. There will be disruption in that industry. It will rebound negatively on the United States.”
“Let's be absolutely clear, the Americans are hurting themselves … we're going to fight back, we're going to build, we're going to get stronger. They're going to get weaker.”
Carney was also asked about recent reporting on slanderous comments his father made about indigenous children when he was principal of a federal residential school.
“Do you share his views?” asked the reporter.
“I love my father, but I won't share those views,” replied Carney.
“It's a long, painful part of our history. I've learned, personally, we've learned as a nation, we're in a process of the damage, of the fundamental damage of residential schools and those who attended them, those who were their descendants.”
“The core of my government, as it was the case at the core of the previous government, will be to advance that process of reconciliation. That's a fundamentally and deeply held personal commitment of mine.”
