These Hamilton voters say the trade war is top of mind but they want candidates thinking beyond Trump

Justin Chandler · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 05, 2025 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

Voters successful Hamilton accidental that portion the economical impacts of U.S. tariffs are apical of caput this election, they privation to perceive much from candidates astir different pressing issues.

"We shouldn't marque this [election] astir [U.S. President] Donald Trump," said Clayton Gomes, who lives successful Hamilton's Waterdown area. "We can't fto immoderate fool from down southbound archer america however we privation to be."

Instead of focusing connected which enactment person volition champion woody with Trump, the 44-year-old said helium thinks voters should ballot for who's close for them and their family, and "What is Canada's individuality going forward?"

• Read each of CBC Hamilton's coverage of the federal election here. 

The U.S. has placed respective tariffs connected goods from Canada including rider vehicles, steel, aluminum, energy and potash. In response, Canada placed reciprocal tariffs American goods. The ongoing commercialized warfare has been a absorption of the national election and strained Canada-U.S. relations.

Four Hamilton-area voters told CBC Hamilton they interest astir the commercialized warfare affecting their livelihoods. But they said they besides privation candidates talking astir much than Trump, and to stock wide plans astir topics including wellness care, the situation and housing. 

Here's immoderate of what they said. 

'What are we giving up to get something?,' azygous dada asks 

Gomes, who works arsenic a income typical for a aesculapian instrumentality company, said helium doesn't cognize if the state volition beryllium capable to wage for politicians' promises and would similar to spot costed platforms. "What are we giving up to get something?"

He'd besides similar much details astir however the parties program to enactment manufacture successful Canada. Gomes utilized to merchantability concern instrumentality and said helium saw firsthand however the nonaccomplishment of mill jobs wounded communities successful southwestern Ontario. That diminution took years, helium said, and truthful could an economical recovery, particularly if a commercialized warfare causes much hardship.

Some of the products his institution sells travel from the U.S., helium said, truthful helium besides worries astir outgo increases affecting his work, and downstream effects if aesculapian devices go much expensive.

WATCH | Trump targets satellite but skips Canada with caller 'Liberation Day' tariffs:

Generally, Gomes said, helium feels aligned with Pierre Poilievre and the Conservative Party. He said helium thinks helium could payment from that party's projected taxation interruption for investors reinvesting successful Canada. 

Gomes said helium doesn't similar Carney's longtime enactment for c pricing and disapproved of however the Liberal person responded erstwhile reporters asked him astir his assets and imaginable conflicts of involvement past month.

"I don't privation my premier curate to speech to radical similar that." 

Realtor and location builder considering voting Liberal aft years of Tory support

For Christy Scalia, 41, lodging and the system are cardinal issues this election. She lives successful Hamilton's Ancaster country and works arsenic a Realtor. Scalia besides co-owns a gathering institution with her husband, which she said is affected by tariffs expanding worldly costs.

"If you person houses being built, you person workers working," Scalia said, and close now, her contractors are telling her it's hard to find jobs. 

"I consciousness similar that's a atrocious omen for the economy. I consciousness similar we person … a batch much symptom to travel that we haven't truly felt yet," she said. 

She's skeptical that the Liberals' program to physique much affordable homes volition person the aforesaid economical benefits arsenic the Conservative lodging plan, and peculiarly likes Poilievre's pledge to region GST from the acquisition of homes sold for nether $1 million. 

That would beryllium "incredible," for her business, she said, but she's hesitant about the Conservative leader. "I don't consciousness similar I could spot him," she said.

Scalia, who has reliably voted Conservative since she was successful university, said she's considering voting Liberal this predetermination — a "shocking" crook for her.

Carney, however, has caught her eye. "You'd beryllium brainsick not to see him with his resume and his connections," she said. 

Still, Scalia said she wants to larn much astir Carney, specified arsenic his program to woody with the opioid crisis, earlier she goes to the polls. "I consciousness similar I tin spot him and I privation to spot him successful handling the economy. I conscionable don't cognize if there's capable successful it for my fiscal interests."

Hamilton elector wants to cognize what taxation cuts mean for nationalist services

Gregory Elvikis, 38, is besides disquieted astir the interaction tariffs could person connected his livelihood. The "proud, calved and raised Hamiltonian," works arsenic an accountant for a institution that imports physics parts from the U.S. He said he'd similar to perceive much from candidates astir however they'll respond to the section effects of tariffs. 

Elvikis, who lives successful Hamilton's Stoney Creek area, besides wants much transparency from the governmental parties erstwhile it comes to their taxation chopped promises. "With taxation cuts, what are the commensurate work cuts?" 

Taxes are "a motion of a nine working," Elvikis said. "Do you similar to cognize constabulary officers are keeping your thoroughfare safe? Do you similar a afloat funded schoolhouse system? You should emotion paying taxes."

WATCH | What's adjacent for clime enactment with user c taxation ending?:

He said helium worries that the Liberals cutting the c taxation volition wounded radical much than it volition assistance them present that the rebate is ending. He besides wants to cognize what Canada's biology strategy volition beryllium going forward.

Usually, Elvikis votes NDP and helium said helium hopes to again this time, provided the enactment announces a campaigner for his riding. They hadn't arsenic of deadline.

Election a accidental to specify what it means to beryllium Canadian, Grimsby elector says

Another idiosyncratic who usually votes NDP is Edward Stubbing, a 39-year-old successful adjacent Grimsby, Ont. This election, Stubbing said he's looking astatine the Liberals due to the fact that helium doesn't deliberation the NDP are making capable of an impact.

He said this election is an accidental for Canadians to specify themselves in absorption to the U.S. 

One mode would beryllium to marque stronger advancement toward decarbonization and protecting the environment, helium said. Stubbing, who works arsenic a proscription engineer, said that's important to him due to the fact that helium wants to permission a bully bequest for his 2 young children. 

He said he'd similar to cognize what leaders deliberation it means to beryllium Canadian.

"I'm hoping that whoever the person is has a wide thought of what that means to beryllium Canadian and hopefully it aligns with the values that galore Canadians clasp dear."