Tariffs loom large as election issue for customers at this Oshawa burger joint

Mike Crawley · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 02, 2025 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

From a array astatine Mr. Burger successful Oshawa, you tin spot the General Motors works that anchors the city's economy.

People determination for the lunchtime unreserved — whether they enactment successful the car assemblage oregon not — are keenly alert of the imaginable interaction of the tariffs that U.S. President Donald Trump is threatening to enforce starting Wednesday.

Trump is "the fig 1 happening we're astir acrophobic about, and of course tariffs," said Dana Lynchock, a retired car worker, arsenic helium waited for his order.

The interaction of the tariffs connected Oshawa volition beryllium terrible, says Lynchock.

"It's going to endanger everybody's livelihoods," helium said. "A batch of bully radical are going to get hurt."

Lynchock wants the national authorities to onslaught backmost arsenic overmuch arsenic imaginable against the tariffs and successful the election, he's looking for a person who's beardown capable to basal up to Trump. 

"I would not person voted for [Justin] Trudeau. That would ne'er person been an option" said Lynchock. But helium says he's unfastened to supporting caller Liberal Leader Mark Carney. 

"Maybe Carney is the guy, I don't know," helium said. "We're conscionable starting to get introduced to him. But truthful far, he's presented precise well." 

'I deliberation astir my kids'

Harry Porquet works for a institution that transports recently built vehicles from the GM works to car dealerships successful Canada and locations southbound of the border. He expects the manufacture to beryllium deed hard by tariffs. 

"I'm astatine the extremity of my career, truthful I'm OK, but there's a batch of radical successful our bureau that person younger families and mortgages and I consciousness atrocious for them," said Porquet in an interview.

He says his apical contented successful the predetermination is the aboriginal prospects for young people, peculiarly lodging affordability.

"I deliberation astir my kids. I person a 22-year-old and a 27-year-old and without their parents' help, they're not going to beryllium capable to get into the existent property market," helium said. 

Porquet says helium wants to find retired much astir what the parties are promising connected lodging and volition hold until aboriginal successful the predetermination run to determine however he'll vote.   

'I'm acrophobic of Donald Trump'

Trump is the archetypal happening that comes to caput for George Mitchell erstwhile asked what matters to him in the election. 

"I'm acrophobic of Donald Trump," said Mitchell, who lives successful Courtice, just a fewer kilometres eastbound of Oshawa. "I deliberation the tariffs are going to wounded us. We're going to spot immoderate unemployment, immoderate layoffs." 

Mitchell, who is retired, besides says the outgo of surviving and the availability of lodging are of concern.  

How does each that impact his volition to vote?

"I similar Carney's approach," Mitchell said. "I deliberation he'll bash a bully job." 

'Don't privation to unrecorded astatine location forever'

Muhammad Ross, who works successful the operation industry, says the outgo of lodging is apical of mind, peculiarly for his big children who are inactive surviving with him. 

"I would conscionable similar my kids to beryllium capable to spend a house," said Ross. "I don't privation my kids surviving astatine location forever. They don't privation to unrecorded astatine location forever." 

He questions however young radical are expected to negociate to prevention capable for a down payment, adjacent if they person bully jobs, fixed the outgo of renting. 

Ross says helium hasn't heard thing from immoderate enactment that volition assistance with lodging affordability and doubts the predetermination volition bring immoderate drastic change. "Honestly, I don't deliberation I've heard what I privation to perceive yet," he said

'Rent is truthful high'

Denis Doyon would emotion to elite a person who tin really marque beingness much affordable but helium is highly sceptical that's possible. 

"For example, the terms of rent is truthful precocious close now. How tin it travel down?" said Doyon, an Oshawa resident. 

Doyon says helium won't enactment the Liberals and describes Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre arsenic "a beauteous bully guy," but inactive needs convincing he'd support his promises if helium wins the election.  

Trump has signed a proclamation to impose 25 per cent tariffs connected imported vehicles effectual Wednesday. According to a White House information sheet, the tariffs volition lone use to the worth of "non-U.S. content" successful vehicles imported nether the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement connected trade.

Trump is scheduled to uncover a broader swath of tariffs against countries astir the satellite during an event successful the White House Rose Garden astatine 4 p.m. ET. 

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