NDP leader vows to 'fight like hell' to protect Windsor's EV sector

NDP Leader Marit Stiles on Friday vowed to "fight like hell" — if she's elected premier — to protect jobs in Windsor and the rest of Ontario against tariffs U.S. President Donald Trump has said he'll impose.

Surrounded by representatives of several unions at Unifor Local 200's Turner Road office, Stiles said she's visiting Windsor for the second time weeks in because of her strong support for autoworkers.

"Workers here in Windsor and all across Ontario, they deserve a government that has their backs, a government that's on your side, and that's why I'm here, to make a commitment to you," Stiles said. 

"The NDP will protect workers from these painful tariffs and we will fight back against Trump's threats. We're going to defend the auto sector and we're going to defend the progress that you all made on electric vehicles, on the EV sector.

"Every second of every day we are committed to helping the auto sector and Windsor's workers succeed," the NDP leader added.

Speaking to reporters in the Oval Office on Thursday, Trump suggested he intends to go ahead with his plan to hit both Canada and Mexico with crippling 25 per cent tariffs on goods coming from those countries. 

"Those tariffs may or may not rise with time," Trump said.

The president was also expected to decide Thursday night if oil would be a target of the hefty tariffs he's threatening to impose on Canadian goods.

"I don't think it's a question anymore of if Trump is going to move forward with these tariffs; it's when he's gonna do it," Stiles said. 

"But I want you to know that workers can count on me and the NDP to fight for every single job in this province."

Ford says he'll honour Ontario's EV commitment

Speaking at a campaign stop in London, Ont., on Thursday, Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford said he would honour Ontario's commitment to the burgeoning electric vehicle sector if re-elected.

Ford's government agreed to an auto pact with the federal government in 2023 to pay one-third of production incentives in deals with Volkswagen, as well as Stellantis and LG Energy Solution, for their EV battery plants.

"Even if President Trump tears up America's commitment to the auto industry, we will not," Ford said.

"I want to make it clear to every partner we have in Ontario's electric vehicle and battery supply chain: a re-elected PC government will honour our commitment to invest in the sector."

Stiles said on Thursday, however, that she wanted to take a look at the two southwestern Ontario EV battery plant deals.

"Doug Ford does not make good deals for Ontario generally, and I'm going to be looking very carefully at the details of the deals that he's struck with those folks."

Stiles's visit to Windsor comes days after Ford held a roundtable with Unifor Local 444. During his stop in Windsor earlier this week, Ford also visited workers at Harbour Technologies, a local manufacturer.

The NDP leader was also scheduled to make a campaign stop in Windsor West around noon.

Later in the day, Stiles is set to tour UA Local 633 in Sarnia. The union represents plumbers, pipefitters and welders.

Today marks the third day of the four-week provincial election campaign. Voters go to the polls on Feb. 27.