WINDSOR, Ont. (WXYZ) — The tariffs could have a significant impact on the Canadian economy—from bars on Main Street to the truckers who make their living crossing the border and businesses that rely on them.
“I’m probably going to get laid off,” Jody Basler said.
That possibility weighed heavily on the Canadian trucker’s mind when President Trump’s 25 percent tariffs went into effect at midnight on Tuesday.
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We met Basler while he was hauling used vehicles from Ontario to Flint. He says the start and stop of the tariffs impacting is nothing short of unsettling.
“It’s pretty chaotic because you don’t know from one day to the other what you’re going to do. Like in the car business, it affects hundreds of thousands of people, so it’s chaotic for everybody,” Basler said.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Trump White House announced that automakers would receive a one-month exemption from his tariffs on Canada and Mexico.
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Sumair Hassan, also a trucker, says he’ll be out of a job if that exemption is not permanent.
“For now, I’m taking whatever it is out there. I’m not, you know, like, refusing any work at the moment,” Hassan said.
While the auto industry has been granted a reprieve, other industries and businesses are starting to feel the pinch.
“Yeah, we need some Jack Daniels, and there’s a big question mark next to that one there,” Rob Rosati said.
Rosati helps run Dominion House Tavern in Windsor. He was bummed to find American booze missing from store shelves. Dominion House patrons are peeved over all of it.
“He’s (Pres. Trump) putting his interests above both countries, and it’s nothing but a mess,” Al Hawkins said.
“Canada’s put tariffs on a lot of products that we’ve put over the US that’s been ignored, so it goes deeper. Taking American liquor, particular bourbon off the shelves, that’s not going to hurt anyone,” Windsor resident Sean Lenehan said. “It’s more about the worries of what could be than what will be. I believe cooler heads will prevail. Our history of being like family, Canada-US, that will probably come back.”
