Carney warns of 'tough days ahead' as tariffs make U.S. recession 'likely'
Pierre Poilievre says Trump endorses Carney, Jagmeet Singh pledges to keep up tariff fight
Donald Trump's latest round of tariffs is only a few days old, but the havoc they're already exerting on the global economy points to upcoming "pressure" on Canada's employment levels, Liberal Leader Mark Carney is warning.
Wednesday's announcement of new tariffs on imports into the United States from dozens of countries — along with starting the 25 per cent levy on "all foreign-made" vehicles — brought "greater certainty," Carney said Saturday, about both the U.S. president's ambitions for tariffs and the repercussions for Canada.
"We can expect pressure on employment in this economy," he said during a campaign stop in Oakville, Ont., a community vulnerable to the new auto tariffs as Ford Motor Co. is one of the area's largest employers.
Carney said the government's recent changes to employment insurance eligibility, announced before the election, will provide some support.
Those measures include waiving the one-week waiting period for workers who lose their jobs because of the tariffs.
As well, Carney repeated his pledge that a re-elected Liberal government would respond to the tariffs by building a stronger economy less connected to the United States. But he also said those actions wouldn't entirely cushion the financial blow.
"There are some tough days ahead. I'm not going to sugarcoat it," he said.
"We've seen the first signs of that in the financial markets, dramatic moves in the financial markets, which is telling Americans, Americans that are listening, that there are future job cuts, higher inflation and likely an American recession ahead."
WATCH | Carney won't 'sugarcoat' it, economic headwinds on the way:
'Tough days ahead,' Carney says, hinting at 'likely' U.S. recession'I have seen this movie before'
Carney said the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union serves as a cautionary tale.
"It took some time for the impacts of Brexit to filter through to the U.K. economy, but I have seen this movie before," Carney said, referring to his work managing that country's economic response to Brexit as head of the Bank of England.
"I know exactly what is going to happen … the Americans are going to get weaker."
Other party leaders didn't specifically discuss the impact of a potential recession on Saturday, but instead continued to argue they're best suited to protect Canada's interests.
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre recalled a recent Fox News interview in which Trump said he'd "rather deal with a liberal than a conservative" in the prime minister's office and that Poilievre is "stupidly, no friend of mine."
Poilievre has spun those remarks as a sign the president is backing the Liberals.
"I think a lot of people have to ask themselves: why does Donald Trump want the Liberals in power for a fourth term?" he told reporters Saturday in Osoyoos, B.C.
"The answer is clear: he wants Canada to be weak," Poilievre said.
WATCH | Poilievre says he's right choice for Canada as Trump 'doesn't support me':
Poilievre dismisses claims that his campaign is 'in sync' with TrumpIf elected, he's vowed to make Canada's economy more independent, as Conservatives would fast-track the building of pipelines, natural gas plants and other natural resource projects.
Meanwhile, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh told a news conference in St. John's that he's inspired by Canadians banding together in response to the U.S. tariffs and that voters "can count on New Democrats to continue that fight."
"Cutting things we need is not the way forward," Singh said, a dig at his Liberal and Conservative opponents who've promised to dial back spending if elected.
"The way we go forward is by lifting each other up, strengthening each other."
The Bloc Québécois didn't comment on the recession either, but leader Yves-François Blanchet said his Saturday election promise to make it harder for foreign companies to buy Quebec businesses demonstrates his commitment to keeping jobs in Quebec.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Tariff trouble; '51st state' gear will remain for sale: CBC's Marketplace Cheat Sheet
The consumer news you may have missed this week.
'Dumbfounded and disgusted': Canada's car capital grapples with Trump tariffs
John
D'Agnolo is the president of Unifor Local 200, which represents nearly
2,000 Ford workers in the Windsor, Ont., region. He warns that the
impact from U.S. tariffs could be 'like 2008 all over again.' (Katerina Georgieva/CBC)
A
long-awaited tariff announcement from U.S. President Donald Trump on
Wednesday spurred confusion and concern in Canada's automotive capital.
The president, in a lengthy Rose Garden address at the White House,
provided some relief to Canada by leaving it out of a list of nations
facing new reciprocal tariffs from the U.S.
But the Trump
administration is maintaining previously announced tariffs affecting
Canada, including up to 25 per cent levies on assembled vehicles and
some automotive parts.
"I'm dumbfounded and disgusted at the
same time, because we're talking about people's livelihoods on the
line," said John D'Agnolo, president of Unifor Local 200.
D'Agnolo's nearly 2,000 members build Ford's V8 engines, which are shipped to the U.S. to be put into trucks and Mustangs.
The White House has said that
engines are among the "key automobile parts" subject to a 25 per cent
tariff starting this week. However, parts that comply with the
Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) are tariff-free, until the
administration "establishes a process to apply tariffs to their
non-U.S. content." Read more
Amazon is selling products calling Canada the 51st state, and many Canadians aren't happy
This screenshot of Amazon.com, taken Tuesday, shows products for sale on the retail giant's website. (Amazon.com)
U.S.
President Donald Trump's threats to turn Canada into the 51st state
have hit the virtual shelves of online retail giant Amazon — and fed-up
Canadians are calling for the company to shut it down.
A petition is
urging Amazon to disable listings of shirts, hats, stickers and other
products emblazoned with quotes referring to Canada as the 51st state or
otherwise celebrating the idea of Canada being annexed by its southern
neighbour.
"This is not a joke to us. It's a threat to our
autonomy and identity as Canadians," Ontario resident Sue Williams-Dunn,
who started the petition in February, wrote in its description.
The petition had more than 64,000 signatures as of Thursday afternoon.
A quick search of "51st state" on Amazon's website brings up a flood of
items, including t-shirts that say "Make Canada Great Again" in a
reference to Trump's slogan, stickers of the map of Canada coloured in
with the American flag and hats declaring Canada as "the 51st state of
America."
"This is offensive and foments dissent and war. I
will immediately not buy products from Amazon," one commenter wrote
underneath the petition.
The emergence of products cheering
for the U.S. to take over Canada is just the latest front in the ongoing
trade war between the two countries, a bitter back-and-forth of tariffs
and counter-tariffs that has sparked many Canadians to embrace a "buy
Canadian" sentiment.
Amazon said in an email to CBC News that the products in question did not breach their policies. Read more
The consumer carbon tax is gone. What will that mean for your wallet?
A flare stack lights the sky from the Imperial Oil refinery in Edmonton on December 28, 2018. (Jason Franson/The Canadian Press)
It's official — the consumer carbon tax is over.
Mark Carney cancelled the fee on his first day as prime minister last
month, signing a directive for the fuel charge to be removed on April 1.
The levy had been added to the sale price of carbon-emitting products
by fuel type. For gasoline, it was 17.6 cents a litre, and natural gas
was 15.25 cents per cubic metre. (The average Canadian home uses about
2,500 cubic metres of natural gas a year.)
Carney initially
supported the carbon tax, but reversed course while campaigning for
Liberal Party leadership, saying it had become too "divisive." Though
the consumer price on carbon is gone, the industrial price for
large-scale polluters remains.
The Liberal government under
Justin Trudeau first put the tax in place in 2019 as a way to
incentivize Canadians to transition to greener energy sources. But even
in the early days, the policy faced opposition from provincial
governments, while Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's pledge to "axe
the tax" later became a central part of his platform.
The
federal carbon price for consumers disappeared Tuesday in all provinces
except Quebec, where a provincial price on carbon meant the federal
price didn't apply. B.C. also had its own consumer carbon tax, but that
province's carbon price is lifted as of today, too.
Now that
the tax is gone, how might that impact your wallet? Experts say there
will be some cost savings passed on to consumers almost immediately, but
the loss of the carbon rebate will also have an impact further down the
road. Read more
What else is going on?
U.S. tariffs on the auto sector will substantially raise the sticker price of cars, experts say
The White House imposed 25 per cent tariffs on cars and some auto parts as of April 3.
Quebec wants to make it harder for doctors to go from public to private system
Québec Solidaire MNA scoffs at proposal, says it shows 'lack of courage.'
Could Trump's tariffs spell the end of Canadian-made NHL jerseys?
NHL game jerseys have been manufactured in Saint-Hyacinthe, Que., since 1975.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
'Enough is enough' says president of Unifor Local 200 following latest tariff announcement
The head of the union representing Ford workers in Windsor says 'enough is enough already' following U.S. President Donald Trump's latest tariff announcement.
Unifor Local 200 President John D'Agnolo says we've been hearing this now since the day he was elected.
"We're up and down like a yo-yo, anxiety for our members and Canadians across this country. It's got to stop," he says.
Trump announced Wednesday that the U.S. will impose a 10 per cent baseline tariff on trading partners, in addition to higher tariffs on a series of individual countries and a 25 per cent levy "on all foreign-made automobiles" that takes effect April 3.
A White House fact sheet issued after the announcement said that Canada and Mexico are exempt from the new reciprocal tariffs and that goods imported under the existing free trade deal will not face tariffs, while others will see a 10 per cent tariff.
Unifor Local 200 represents close to 2,000 members between Ford's Windsor Engine Plant and the Essex Engine Plant.
Workers at Windsor Engine produce the 7.3L V8 engine for Ford Super Duty pickups and commercial vehicles, while workers at Essex Engine produce the 5.0L V8 engine for the Mustang and the F-150, the best-selling truck in North America.
D'Agnolo says Ford has no choice but to keep operations going in Windsor despite the tariffs because the engine is the heart of the F-150.
"All we can do is continue to put out a productive, high-quality product. We have to continue to do that; that's what we're known for in Canada. Hopefully with the election over soon, the new leader in Canada will understand the importance of making sure we protect ourselves in our own country and our workers in our own country," he says.
D'Agnolo says he's hoping there will be a day they don't have to worry about their jobs.
"That they recognize the fact that it's not going to work, and I hope we continue to work with the United States and build good products on both sides of the border," he says.
Engines made in Windsor and used in the F-150 are sent to Ford assembly plants in Michigan and Missouri, while the engines in the Super Duty pickups are sent to an assembly plant in Kentucky.
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519-944-9325 or 519-919-3694 mmicha54@ford.com
Conservatives select new candidate for Windsor-Tecumseh-Lakeshore
A new Conservative candidate has been selected for the riding of Windsor-Tecumseh-Lakeshore.
Kathy Borrelli is now listed on the Conservative party website, after her husband, Paul Borrelli, president of the Conservative Windsor-Tecumseh EDA, announced her candidacy in a post on Facebook.
Paul Borrelli confirmed the news to AM800 by phone Saturday morning.
The move comes after previously selected candidate, Ward 4 Windsor city councillor Mark McKenzie, was dropped by the party earlier this week.
The Conservatives dumped McKenzie on Tuesday for comments he made on a 2022 podcast about public hangings, joking that former prime minister Justin Trudeau should receive the death penalty.
McKenzie told AM800 News that he officially withdrew as the party's candidate on Wednesday after he says the party met his demands.
Borrelli previously ran as the Conservative candidate in 2021 for the Windsor-Tecumseh riding, coming in third.
The party needed to select or nominate a candidate by the Monday deadline.
Strike averted at Windsor, Ont., casino — tentative deal reached
Roughly 1,400 workers represented by Unifor Local 444 were set to strike at 12:01 a.m. Thursday
It's business as usual at Caesars Windsor along the Canadian border city's riverfront.
A work stoppage was avoided before workers were set to walk off the job at 12:01 a.m. Thursday, according to the union and employer.
Unionized employees will vote to ratify the agreement at a later date that has yet to be disclosed.
During negotiations, Unifor Local 444 officials previously told CBC News better pay was a top priority for the some 1,400 employees it represents at the casino.
"Make no mistake, the monetary gains are probably a number one priority," said James Stewart, president of the local union, in an interview a few days before the tentative deal was announced.
Caesars Windsor's president and CEO Kevin Laforet said in a statement, "We would like to commend Unifor Local 444 and the entire bargaining team for their respectful and productive efforts resulting in an agreement that is mutually beneficial for both parties."
Details within the agreement have not been released by either side.
Nearly 2,000 casino workers went on strike for 60 days in 2018.
With files from Pratyush Dayal and Chris Ensing
Windsor Morning's election panel on polls, tariffs & candidate controversies
'An unjustified attack on the auto industry:' Unifor Local 444 president responds to U.S. tariffs
James Stewart spoke with CBC's Amy Dodge on Windsor Morning
The president of Windsor's largest auto union is responding to news of new U.S. tariffs on Canadian-made autos heading stateside.
James Stewart of Unifor Local 444 spoke with CBC's Amy Dodge on Windsor Morning Friday, calling the tariffs "an unjustified attack on the auto industry here in Canada."
U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday imposing a 25 per cent tariff on finished vehicles imported into the U.S.
The tariffs go in effect April 2.
Hundreds of thousands of Canadian jobs are tied to the auto sector.
It's Canada's largest manufacturing industry and the country's second largest export to the US, after oil.
And at the heart of it all is Windsor, the automotive capital of Canada.
What's your reaction to President Trump actually moving forward with these tariffs?
You know, the reaction hasn't changed. The fact is, it's an unjustified attack on the auto industry here in Canada. We are not a jurisdiction that has stolen jobs from the United States in any shape, way or form.
The facts are, we have lost jobs just like the United States has to lower paying jurisdictions, to jurisdictions that don't offer the same types of healthcare benefits, the same health and safety regulations. We've seen the same issues. And this really is an unjust attack, and I think it's going to affect the American worker in the auto industry, and it's going to affect the Canadian worker in the industry, both in negative ways. It's going to be very tough time if this comes to fruit.
Yeah, can you share some stories or concerns you've been hearing from your members?
Well, all of our members are concerned. … Right now, it's probably a perfect balance. The amount of cars we sell to the States is the same amount that we buy from the United States across Canada. And our workers know that. So they know that, you know, without the sales in the States, and if tariffs go into play, they know their jobs are at risk. They know the plants are at risk. They know it could happen fast.
What about their mental health?
Well, that's severe when you … don't know what the future holds. There's this cloud hanging over you that you can't control. … There's nothing they can do but sit back and watch and hope for the best and hope that there's a way, a path, to be found through this.
They all want to make a good wage. They're good at their jobs … And this is really devastating.
It feels like the goal posts just keep shifting, making it hard to sort of keep up with the ever changing discussion around tariffs between the U.S. and Canada. What has it been like for you in your position at the heart of Canada's auto industry?
You're right. The goal posts have moved. This is not about fentanyl. It's not about illegal immigration. That's just the avenue he uses to break the agreements we have in place. It's about the 51st state. It's about our natural resources, about our auto industry, it's about what he … sees as unfair trade balance.
And every time, there's a counterpoint or something that defeats his argument, there's a new argument. So it's really, really been difficult. … It's hard to negotiate when the goal posts keep moving.
What have you heard about Stellantis' response to the upcoming tariffs? Any idea of how they're preparing?
The Detroit three generally, along with all the automakers, have been meeting with [U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard] Lutnick. They've been meeting with the United States, trying to make sure they understand the industry, how the industry is interconnected, how this will affect the United States, Canada, Mexico, all the same way. … I think they're still having those meetings trying to figure things out.
We've met with them. We've made sure it's clear to them that the footprint in Canada has to remain, that they have to be committed to their employees and our members in Canada. … They're responsive to it. They understand it. But, you know, they're trying to figure the mess out as well.
Yesterday we heard that Ontario's premier is expecting … the US to ease the auto tariffs. And later we heard that … it wouldn't apply to vehicles that were more than 50 per cent made in the US, and they would start with a 12.5 per cent tariff. And then Doug Ford said that Lutnick claims the lower tariff will avoid plant closures in Canada. I'm just wondering what that all means. … Are you convinced that a lower tariff will keep the plants open?
No.
The problem is, it's very unclear. They're talking about the percentage of the vehicle that has American parts won't be taxed. The other parts of the vehicle will be taxed. It's a very complicated equation.
If you look at the United States, there's not a vehicle built over there – not one vehicle – that is 100 per cent U.S.-made – not even the Teslas that they're bragging about out of Elon Musk's plants in Texas and California. …. But a Canadian vehicle gets – whether it's five per cent or whether it's 25 per cent — it's still going to raise the cost of those vehicles, and consumers are going to look elsewhere.
Do we know how much of the Pacifica or the Chargers are actually made in the US versus here in Windsor?
The company has those records. We don't have that. … We have tier one assembly plants in Canada — quite a few of them that feed the plant. But all the smaller parts that go into that come from all over the place. So the only ones that would be able to find that is actually the OEMs. .
This Q&A has been edited for length and clarity
Unifor Local 444 president believes 'if you don't build in this country, you don't sell in this country'
The president of Unifor Local 444 believes there needs to be measures that state, 'if you don't build in this country, you don't sell in this country.'
James Stewart, who represents over 4,000 workers at the Stellantis Windsor Assembly Plant, was reacting Thursday to U.S. President Donald Trump's move to sign an executive order Wednesday to implement 25 per cent tariffs on all automobile imports into the United States starting next week.
Trump said the latest round of auto tariffs will be permanent and has argued that they will lead to automakers opening more factories in the U.S.
Stewart says our industry is so integrated.
"I think it has to be; if you don't build in this country, you don't sell in this country. Not that you're tariffed, if you are not going to build, that has to be our message to the Big 3; they have commitments to Canada," he says.
Automakers have spread out their supply chains and production facilities throughout North America. Parts and production steps often cross one or more borders during the process. That means It will cost the major automakers more money to build their cars and trucks.
Stewart says the tariffs will be devastating for Canada, but it will be just as devastating for American workers.
Speaking at the Unifor union hall on Turner Road, Stewart says we are not the jurisdiction that's taking jobs away from America.
"We are a high-paying jurisdiction. We have good healthcare and benefits. We have good health and safety regulations in Canada. Our standard is high. We have lost jobs just as much as the United States on a per capita basis. We were second or third, but we are now eighth in automotive building," he says.
Unifor Local 200 President John D'Agnolo, who represents close to 2,000 members between Ford's Windsor Engine Plant and the Essex Engine Plant, says this is just creating unrest.
"When you have unrest, you don't shop. When you have unrest, you don't buy anything," he says. "It's already impacting our community. When you don't have stability, it affects your plants. Think about that. You're thinking, Oh my God, will I have a job?"
The tariffs will take effect on April 3.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford says he was told by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick that Canadian-made vehicles with 50 per cent or more American parts will not face tariffs.
Lutnick called Ford later Wednesday to say that Canada would face a different rate but it was unclear when Canadian vehicles would see the tariff break.
Most of the vehicles made in Canada are already constructed with more than half American parts, as the North American auto industry is deeply integrated.
With files from the Canadian Press
Intro
AFederal NDP would prevent companies from gutting Canadian auto plants, says Singh
Unifor Auto Council and Unifor Independent Parts Supplier Council statement on U.S. Tariffs
For more than 60 years, the Canadian and American auto industries have depended on each other. Together, we build best-in-class cars and trucks that remain the envy of the world. Unionized autoworkers fought for and won gold standard collective agreements that created good jobs, raised living standards and built strong, vibrant communities. Two-way trade in automotive goods is about $160 billion per year and split virtually down the middle in near perfect balance. There is no better, fairer, and more productive trade relationship.
The ongoing threat of tariffs by the United States on Canada is an attack on Canadian jobs. These tariffs would cause an industrial crisis in the automotive sector on a scale never seen. An unprovoked trade war between North American countries not only upends decades of shared development and mutual benefit but also represents a betrayal of the greatest magnitude that will have consequences for autoworkers.
If tariffs on Canadian and Mexican vehicles and parts come to pass, we anticipate the North American industry will grind to a halt, likely within days. The cost of building vehicles will rise exponentially. Production lines will freeze, and the effects will ripple to workers across the supply chain. Consequently, and with the cost of new vehicles rising, consumers will shift to relatively cheaper, imported vehicles – those built in non-North American assembly plants. This presents a disaster scenario for autoworkers in all three countries.
North American autoworkers have, for years, been unfairly burdened by bad trade policies. Of all the vehicles sold in North America last year, 5 million were built in places other than North America, which is unlike most auto-producing regions in the world. Most of these imports (3.5 million, or 70% of the total) were sold in the United States.
Rather than encouraging importing automakers to invest and build more in North America, where they sell these cars, the U.S. President has instead taken aim at his allies. In turn, he’s given importing automakers an even easier path to undercut domestic jobs. This reflects a clear lack of understanding of the car industry and the challenges autoworkers face.
Unifor’s Auto Council and Independent Parts Supplier Council, and our 37,000 combined members, are committed to defend the Canadian auto industry, to protect jobs, investments and industrial capacity through whatever means necessary.
We join with millions of other Canadians, labour unions, businesses and across civil society calling for an immediate and permanent end to this tariff threat.
We will fight to keep production moving for as long as possible, and work on contingency plans with automakers and parts manufacturers. Canada remains an important part of the North American auto market, representing more than 2 million vehicles sold per year. Access to Canada’s domestic market matters and we will continue to build vehicles and parts for our market and international markets.
We will fight to defend and preserve our factories, our tools and machinery; we will work to sustain operations, and ensure they serve Canada’s productive, industrial objectives and ambitions.
We will continue working with federal, provincial and municipal governments to develop economic protection and financial assistance plans, trade diversification strategies, mitigate job losses and enhance income security provisions for all workers. And we will lean on our strong collective agreement provisions to ensure our members – and all Canadian autoworkers – can navigate this challenge.
Above all, we will work to end this economic threat that imperils our industry and our broader economy. We will coordinate with like-minded allies, and those willing to stand up for a brighter, more prosperous future of fair trade, good jobs, global solidarity, and mutual respect.
John D’Agnolo
President, Unifor Local 200
Unifor-Ford Master Bargaining Committee Chairperson
Unifor Auto Council Chairperson
Emile Nabbout
President, Unifor Local 195
Unifor Independent Parts Supplier Council President
Marc Brennan
Plant Chairperson, Oakville Assembly, Unifor Local 707
Unifor-Ford Master Bargaining Committee Vice-Chairperson
James Stewart
President, Unifor Local 444
Unifor-Stellantis Master Bargaining Committee Chairperson
Vito Beato
President, Unifor Local 1285
Unifor-Stellantis Master Bargaining Committee Vice-Chairperson
Jason Gale
Plant Chairperson, Oshawa Assembly, Unifor Local 222
Unifor-GM Master Bargaining Committee Chairperson
Trevor Longpre
Plant Chairperson, St. Catharines Propulsion Plant, Unifor Local 199
Unifor-GM Master Bargaining Committee Vice-Chairperson
Mike Van Boekel
Plant Chairperson, CAMI Assembly Plant, Unifor Local 88
Unifor-CAMI Bargaining Committee Chairperson
Mike D’Agnolo
First Vice-President, Unifor Local 444
Unifor Independent Parts Supplier Council Treasurer
Jody Schneider
Plant Chairperson, Android Industries, Unifor Local 1285
Unifor Independent Parts Supplier Council Recording Secretary
Larry Herrington
Plant Chairperson, Android Industries, Unifor Local 222
Unifor Independent Parts Supplier Council Vice-President
Executive Board
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Brent Tree President brenttree@unifor88.ca 519 317 6059 GroupsExecutive BoardOffice Phone519 425 0952In plant Extension101
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Steven Pye Vice President stevenpye@unifor88.ca 519 533 3231 GroupsExecutive BoardOffice Phone519 425 0952In plant Extension101
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Linda Leyten Financial Secretary lindaleyten@unifor88.ca 519 636 2415 GroupsExecutive BoardOffice Phone519 425 0952In plant Extension102
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Todd Scott Guide GroupsExecutive Board
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Juli Franklin Trustee GroupsExecutive Board
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Amy Durston Trustee GroupsExecutive Board
-
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Mike Van Boekel Chairperson GM CAMI mike.vanboekel@gm.com 519 608 4298 GroupsExecutive BoardOffice Phone226 825 8531In plant Extension58531
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Jason Herman Skilled Trades jason.herman@gm.com 519-983-3776 GroupsCAMI/GMExecutive BoardSkilled TradesOffice Phone226 825 8517In plant Extension58517
Protesters tee off on Trump, Musk in global 'Hands Off' rallies
'He's tearing this country apart,' says Ohio demonstrator
Protesters rally against Trump in dozens of cities across U.S. and worldwideOpponents of U.S. President Donald Trump and billionaire Elon Musk rallied across the U.S. and around the globe on Saturday to protest the administration's actions on government downsizing, the economy, human rights and other issues.
In the United States, more than 1,200 "Hands Off!" demonstrations were planned by more than 150 groups, including civil rights organizations, labour unions, 2SLGBTQ+ advocates, veterans and elections activists. The protest sites included the National Mall in Washington, D.C., state capitols and other locations in all 50 states.
Protesters assailed the Trump administration's moves to fire thousands of federal workers, close Social Security Administration field offices, effectively shutter entire agencies, deport immigrants, scale back protections for transgender people and cut federal funding for health programs.
Rallies were also held in countries around the world, including the U.K., Portugal, Germany and India.
Musk, a Trump adviser who owns Tesla, SpaceX and the social media platform X, has played a key role in government downsizing as head of the newly created Department of Government Efficiency. He says he is saving taxpayers billions of dollars.
Elon Musk's conspiracist grandfather and his Canadian rootsSpeaking at the Washington protest, Paul Osadebe, a lawyer for the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and a labour union steward, criticized Trump, Musk and others in the administration for not valuing the work federal employees do in creating "a baseline of economic security and power for working people."
"Billionaires and oligarchs don't value anything other than profit and power, and they sure as hell don't value you or your life or your community," he said. "And we're seeing that they don't care who they have to destroy or who they have to hurt to get what they want."
In Massachusetts, thousands of people gathered on Boston Common holding signs including "Hands Off Our Democracy" and "Diversity Equity Inclusion Makes America Strong. Hands Off!" In Ohio, hundreds rallied in rainy conditions at the statehouse in Columbus.
Roger Broom, 66, a retiree from Delaware County, Ohio, said at the Columbus rally that he used to be a Reagan Republican but has been turned off by Trump.
"He's tearing this country apart," Broom said. "It's just an administration of grievances."
Hundreds of people also demonstrated in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., a few kilometres from Trump's golf course in Jupiter, where he spent the morning at the senior club championship. People lined both sides of PGA Drive, encouraging cars to honk and chanting slogans against Trump.
Archer Moran from Port St. Lucie, Fla., said, "They need to keep their hands off of our Social Security."
Protesters gather near the Trump National Golf Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., on Saturday. (Alex Brandon/The Associated Press)
"The list of what they need to keep their hands off of is too long," Moran said. "And it's amazing how soon these protests are happening since he's taken office."
The president plans to go golfing again Sunday, according to the White House.
Asked about the protests, the White House said in a statement: "President Trump's position is clear: he will always protect Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid for eligible beneficiaries. Meanwhile, the Democrats' stance is giving Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare benefits to illegal aliens, which will bankrupt these programs and crush American seniors."
Activists have staged nationwide demonstrations against Trump or Musk multiple times since Trump returned to office. But the opposition movement has yet to produce a mass mobilization like the Women's March in 2017, which brought thousands of women to Washington, D.C., after Trump's first inauguration, or the Black Lives Matter demonstrations that erupted in multiple cities after George Floyd's killing in 2020.
Ottawa man charged after lockdown on Parliament Hill, police say
The 31-year-old man allegedly entered the security screening area of East Block and made threats
Ottawa police say a 31-year-old man has been charged with multiple offences following an hours-long Parliament Hill lockdown on Saturday.
In a news release sent Sunday morning, the Ottawa Police Service (OPS) said the man entered the security screening area of the East Block of Parliament Hill around 2:40 p.m. Saturday and "began making threats to the safety of those inside."
"The man was isolated to the security screening area, and the Parliamentary Protective Service (PPS) and the [OPS] attended to facilitate an evacuation of the building and surrounding area," the release said.
According to officers, several packages were found in the area which were searched and cleared. Nobody was injured, and no explosives, weapons or hazardous materials were found on the man.
"After hours of negotiations, the man surrendered peacefully to police and was arrested on scene," the OPS added.
Parliamentary Protective Service officers secure the perimeter of Parliament Hill on Saturday. (Blair Gable/Reuters)
The man, who was not named in the release, has been charged with a breach of probation, public mischief and uttering threats to cause property damage.
Police initially released a warning Saturday afternoon telling anyone in East Block, which houses parliamentary offices, to seek shelter in the nearest room, close and lock all doors and hide.
The building was then evacuated, as police temporarily shut down a significant stretch of Wellington Street in front of Parliament Hill — blocking traffic and pedestrians.
Hours after the lockdown began, police extended the exclusion zone from Wellington Street one block back to Sparks Street.
A police vehicle is seen at the corner of Wellington and O'Connor streets in Ottawa on Saturday. (CBC/Radio-Canada)
Ottawa police also brought in specialized units, including at least one canine unit and explosives units. Two bomb disposal unit robots were seen in front of Centre Block.
A government web page says the East Block houses the offices of senators and their staff, but there is little activity on the Hill because Parliament is dissolved for the ongoing federal election.
The same web page says the building once held the offices of Sir John A. Macdonald and Sir George-Étienne Cartier, and that it still contains "faithful recreations of the offices of its famous occupants from the 19th century."
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With files from The Canadian Press
Lockdown declared at East Block on Parliament Hill
Ottawa, Parliament Hill police on scene for a 'barricaded man' in East Block Area
A lockdown remains in effect on Parliament Hill as Ottawa police say they have been speaking with a barricaded man in the East Block.
"There is a large police presence in the area. East Block has been evacuated," Ottawa Police Service (OPS) said in a social media post shortly before 5 p.m. ET on Saturday, which noted that their officers are being supported by the Parliamentary Protective Service (PPS)
"There are no known injuries and police continue to deal with an individual in this ongoing incident that began just before 3 p.m. [ET]," the police force added.
Members of the public are being asked to avoid the area and follow officers' directions. Road closures remain in place on Wellington Street, which runs in front of Parliament Hill, from Bank Street to Sussex Drive, OPS said.
Police have brought in a robot to deal with the situation, and a large police truck has been ushered through the security roadblock.
Earlier on Saturday afternoon, PPS declared a lockdown for 111 Wellington St., also known as East Block. The notice was sent to staffers who work on Parliament Hill.
They were told to seek shelter in the nearest room, close and lock all doors and hide.
"If you are not in the immediate area, stay away until further notice. Do not travel to locations under lockdown," the PPS said in their notice. "Wait for further instructions from first responders."
A government web page says East Block houses the offices of senators and their staff, but there is little activity on the Hill these days because Parliament is dissolved due to the ongoing federal election.
The same web page says the building once held the officers of Sir John A. Macdonald and Sir George-Etienne Cartier," and that it still contains "faithful recreations of the offices of its famous occupants from the 19th century."
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With files from The Canadian Press
Canadian detained for 11 days by U.S. immigration speaks out for others stuck in limbo
‘That place breaks you into a million pieces,’ Mooney said of her detention by U.S. immigration
Jasmine Mooney's smile went viral after the 35-year-old Canadian was taken into U.S. custody at the Mexican border in March, but her story is now whispered in fear.
On March 3, Mooney tried to get her work visa renewed, entering at an immigration office at the Mexico-San Diego border, against a U.S. lawyer's advice. Instead she ended up being denied, and then, all of a sudden, detained.
Mooney spent 11 days in custody — off and on in cement cells she says are dubbed "ice boxes" — with little more than a thin foil emergency blanket. Mooney says she faced numerous transfers, humiliating medical tests, degrading treatment and no answers — despite pleas to let her pay for her own flight home.
She at first refused food and couldn't sleep, but then forced herself to get up and help others.
"It breaks you. That place breaks you into a million pieces. It is so disgusting what goes on in there," Mooney told CBC News in an interview on Thursday.
Her case is one of a series of instances involving non-U.S. travellers that has travellers and legal experts concerned.
‘That place breaks you’: Canadian woman describes 11 days in ICE custodyMooney's story has become a sort of warning, a harbinger of a shifting attitude toward Canadians travelling or trying to work in the U.S.
Immigration lawyers are urging people who need visa renewals to opt to go to airports, where they can be processed on Canadian soil, with no risk of getting detained if they are deemed ineligible.
'Chilling effect'
Mooney's Blaine, Wash.-based immigration lawyer Len Saunders said her case is scaring Canadian travellers.
"It has a huge chilling effect on Canadians going to the United States," said Saunders.
He advised her not to try to reapply for her visa at a Mexican entry point, given changes he saw under the new Trump administration.
"She wasn't trying to do anything illegal. She thought she was doing the right thing," said Saunders.
"I've never seen a Canadian citizen who's applied for a work visa, either a brand new one or a renewal, being detained like this."
Mooney
says she left a lot of women behind when she was released and wants to
shine a light into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention
centres and how people end up trapped there. (Submitted by Alexis Eagles)
Mooney was at one point held at a San Diego-area prison where a Chinese inmate offered up her phone time enabling Mooney to get her plea out to at least one reporter. At that point, she had no idea that her story had gone viral and so many people were fighting for her freedom. She was released within a few days and left feeling "lucky."
Mooney says she left a lot of women behind when she was released and wants to shine a light into Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detention centres and how people end up trapped there.
"I met a girl who had been in there eight months," she said.
She says the women helped her get out — and urged her to tell their stories. Mooney says there were about 140 women in her unit at the Otay Mesa Detention Center, one of the first places she was held, in the Ysidro Mountains foothills of Otay Mesa overlooking the U.S.-Mexico border.
She describes how most of the women she met had lived in the U.S. illegally and overstayed visas — detained with no warning when they reapplied.
In
this 2017 file photo, a vehicle drives into the Otay Mesa Detention
Center in San Diego. Mooney says there were about 140 women in her unit
when she was held there. (Elliot Spagat/The Associated Press)
"You meet all of the girls who had trekked from India, from Iran, from Africa, they're covered head to toe in bug bites and scars from their journey and they paid all of this money, gave up everything they owned to come to America and then end up in jail and they're all most likely getting shipped back to their countries," said Mooney.
'Scorched earth' approach to immigration
Mooney, who grew up in Yukon and had been living in B.C. until last year, is one in a series of recent U.S. immigration detention cases that have caught attention internationally.
In January, German tattoo artist Jessica Brösche was was held for more than a month after border agents assumed she'd work illegally. A 28-year-old British backpacker was held for 10 days after trying to enter Washington State from Canada. She'd been living with host families trading housework for board on a tourist visa. A couple returning from Tijuana ended up handcuffed: U.S. citizen Lennon Tyler was chained to a bench, her German fiance Lucas Sielaff held for 16 days for violating his 90 day tourist permit.
NPR reported the story of a Guatemalan immigrant named Sarahi who accidentally drove the wrong way across the Ambassador Bridge trying to go to Costco — and ended up held for five days in a windowless office near the bridge with her daughters, two U.S. citizens aged one and five.
"I don't think that the Americans are targeting Canadians. I think they're targeting anyone immigrating or visiting the United States. There's this heightened scrutiny," said Saunders. "It's almost a scorched earth whether you're coming in and applying for a work visa or coming in as a visitor."
He's urging anybody reapplying for visas to do it at an airport — where they are safe on Canadian soil and can't be detained.
However, he says he's not shocked that some Canadians are just opting to skip any U.S. travel
Mooney's immigration
lawyer Len Saunders said her case is scaring Canadian travellers. "It
has a huge chilling effect on Canadians going to the United States," he
said. (Submitted by Alexis Eagles)
Work visa trouble
Mooney first hit immigration trouble last spring. She'd applied for her work visa at the Blaine, Wash., border office and was denied. The officer had noticed a missing employer letterhead.
She tried again at the San Diego border in April of 2024. The visa was issued without a problem, so she returned to California and worked.
Mooney says she didn't have a problem again — despite multiple border crossings — until she headed back into the U.S. after a visit to family in November.
Upon her return, she says a border agent told her that her visa had been improperly processed. She was interrogated and that work visa was revoked, after border officials noted her product contained hemp.
After a few months in Canada, she was offered another job and says she was told by another lawyer that it was acceptable to try to reapply.
"The worst that I thought would happen is that I would get denied," she said.
She headed to the San Diego immigration office that first processed her visa on March 3. After hours there explaining her situation, she says the officer told her she'd have to reapply through a consulate. Then Mooney says the female officer added: "You didn't do anything wrong, you are not in trouble, you are not a criminal."
She was told they'd have to send her back to Canada. But as Mooney sat searching for flights home on her phone she says that a man appeared and told her to come with him.
She knew something was way off when they pulled the shoelaces from her sneakers.
"Later I found out that's so you don't hang yourself in jail," said Mooney.
A
spokesperson for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) says that
Mooney was processed in light of an executive order signed on Jan. 21. (Gregory Bull/The Associated Press)
CBC News reached out to U.S. officials for more details about her case.
A statement from Sandra Grisolia of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement explained that Mooney was processed in accordance with the "Securing Our Borders" Executive Order dated Jan. 21.
It states that all aliens in violation of U.S. immigration law may be subject to arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the U.S., regardless of nationality.
Saunders says that Mooney plans to appeal her revoked visa and loves the U.S. She was pursuing a marketing career there selling a hemp-infused water product – after running bars and restaurants in Vancouver.
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With files from CBC News
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