MBP Ep 3: MBP Exclusive with Lana Payne- The Fight for the Auto Sector and Canada’s Industrial Future

IIn this episode Ben Woodfinden and Shannon Phillips talk with National President of UNIFOR Lana Payne and discuss:Stellantis, subsidies and Trump Pressure 03:02:18Government Tools and Leverage 05:49:12On a Team Canada Strategy, and potential divergence between federal and provincial governments 10:36:15On the Future of the Canadian Auto Sector 22:00:01On Labour Power and Policy 32:06:10Unifors Position and it’s members 42:20:10Key TakeawaysOn Stellantis, Subsidies and Trump PressurePAYNE: 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 LeveragePAYNE: 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 StrategyPHILLIPS: 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 SectorPAYNE: 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 PolicyPAYNE: 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.