Do you know what a VW Squareback is? Would you expect it to be … electric?
You can't tell what's the most unique about Steve Payne's 1972 VW Squareback from its appearance. Granted, it's a fairly rare car and has a cool retro patina, but what makes it truly unusual is that it's fully electric.
Payne's a partner in Beachman, with Ben Taylor, a Toronto company that builds café racer e-bikes and offers electrified conversions of motorcycles and cars. His interest in vintage cars and motorcycles started long before the company's inception and his interest in electrifying them.
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Cision Canada
27-05-2025
- Cision Canada
Unifor urges federal government to prioritize workers in 45th Parliament with bold economic and legislative action
OTTAWA, ON, May 27, 2025 /CNW/ - Unifor is calling on the federal government to take decisive, worker-focused action to protect jobs and grow Canada's economy during the 45 th Parliament. The union's legislative priorities offer a bold vision for a stronger, fairer, and more self-reliant Canada. "Our message to all federal politicians is clear: put workers first," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. "We need an economy that centres good jobs in every decision—backed by astute investments, strong public services, and strategic federal procurement to build Canadian industry. With the ongoing Trump-led trade war, the threat to Canadian jobs is real and growing. This Parliament must act urgently to defend our economic sovereignty and stop the bleed of jobs across the border." Unifor is urging Parliament to take immediate action against unjust U.S. trade tactics by imposing targeted tariffs, export controls, and penalties on companies that offshore jobs. The union urges Ottawa to utilize and expand the Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act (FEMA) to penalize corporations that shift production to the U.S. to dodge tariffs or chase subsidies—at the expense of Canadian workers and communities. "When U.S. policies threaten Canadian jobs, we must be ready to respond with strength and strategy," said Payne. "That includes holding corporations accountable for offshoring jobs and making smart investments in industrial supply chains to protect workers." The union is demanding permanent Employment Insurance reforms with stronger worker protections, including income support programs to mitigate layoffs and keep workers connected to the labour market. Unifor also calls for bold public investments in industrial supply chains, direct government involvement in key sectors such as auto and aerospace, and the creation of sector councils to guide long-term development. The union's plan includes 'Buy Canadian' procurement policies, made-in-Canada energy infrastructure, and exploring a Canadian-owned car manufacturer. "We need industrial strategies that don't just react—they lead," said Payne. "That requires public investment, public ownership, and procurement policies that support Canadian-made, union-built products." Unifor is advocating for cross-ministry coordination to promote economic sustainability and national resilience. The union continues to champion robust public services, including defending the universality of the Canada Health Act and advancing a single-payer pharmacare system. To build Canadian capacity and sovereignty, Unifor is proposing a national modular housing strategy using Canadian lumber, expansion of east-west energy transportation via Canadian-built railcars, and exploration of a Canadian-owned vehicle manufacturer. "We're talking about building a Canada that doesn't just survive globalization—it thrives with independence and innovation," said Payne. The union is also urging Parliament to restrict foreign control over critical minerals and negotiate procurement-based defence pacts with allies to bolster domestic aerospace and defence industries. Unifor calls for the swift implementation of federal anti-scab legislation and warns the government to reject corporate pressure aimed at weakening labour protections. "We know the employer lobby will push for deregulation under the 'moving economies' banner," said Payne. "We must push back with a clear commitment to workers' rights, fair wages, and strong unions." Unifor reaffirms its support for the "Keep it in the Pipe" campaign, promoting investment in emissions-reducing technologies that safeguard union jobs in the energy sector, and renewed commitments to modernizing transportation and telecommunications infrastructure. "We're ready to work with Parliament to build a fairer, more inclusive, and more prosperous Canada," said Payne. "That work begins with recognizing workers as the engine of our economy—and making choices that reflect that truth." Unifor's message is clear: workers are the foundation of Canada's economy. The policies of the 45th Parliament must reflect that. Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 320,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.
National Observer
20-05-2025
- National Observer
Punish companies that move Canadian jobs offshore, says union
Canada should use existing legislation to fight US trade policy and punish companies moving Canadian jobs offshore, says the country's largest private-sector union. 'As tariffs persist, and threats of layoff and plant closures mount, further aggressive and defensive action must be taken to solidify Canada's industrial economy,' Unifor National President Lana Payne said in a letter sent to Prime Minister Mark Carney on May 16. Unifor wants Carney's government to use the Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act (FEMA) to penalize corporations that shift production from Canada to the US due to President Donald Trump's trade policies. 'The consequences for offshoring jobs must be real, enforceable, and immediate,' Payne said. FEMA allows the attorney general to identify and prohibit businesses in Canada from complying with measures taken by foreign states — in this case the US — that adversely affect Canadian trade, commerce or sovereignty. The law came into force in 1985, and Brian Mulroney's government used the act in 1992 to make sure Canadian companies were not obeying the US directive to sanction Cuba. 'These orders can make it a federal offence to move production out of Canada in response to foreign trade measures, carrying penalties of up to $1.5 million for corporations and up to five years' imprisonment for individuals, currently,' Payne's letter said. Along with using the act immediately, Unifor wants the federal government to strengthen it. The maximum $1.5-million fine 'is clearly not going to be enough,' Payne said, adding that since the legislation was written decades ago it needs updated penalties, among other changes. The federal government has the legislation to fight back against US trade policy, it just needs to muster up the political will to use it, says Unifor National President Lana Payne. 'With the House of Commons set to reconvene next week, we are also asking the government to consider legislative amendments to include heavier fines imposed on firms that shift production, the ability to seize assets of companies, as well as restricting imports from corporations and companies that offshore Canadian investment and jobs,' Payne said in a virtual press conference on Tuesday morning. Unifor Director of Research Angelo DiCaro said the act has never been used in the context of a trade war. 'There hasn't really been [a trade war], and so it's almost like this is, in some ways, tailor-made to the situation we face,' DiCaro said in the virtual press conference. Trump's trade policies are already impacting Canadian workers, particularly in the auto sector. In early May, General Motors said it will eliminate one of three shifts at its Oshawa assembly plant this fall due to 'forecasted demand' and 'the evolving trade environment.' This move will directly affect 700 workers and indirectly impact an estimated 1,500 more. General Motors recently shuttered its CAMI assembly plant in Ingersoll, although it expected to reopen at 'half capacity' in autumn. Ford and Stellantis have also suspended or delayed EV production in Canada, and Honda recently pumped the brakes on its own $15-billion EV supply chain plans. Ontario's manufacturing sector will be hit hard unless something changes, according to a recent report from Ontario's Financial Accountability Office. It warned the province could lose up to 68,100 jobs in 2025 as a result of US tariffs and Canada's retaliatory tariffs. The analysis was based on trade measures as of April 17. 'We will continue to do whatever we have to do to protect Canadian workers, including picket lines or whatever other tools we have at our disposal,' Payne said. 'But the reality is not every worker in this country has a union and we need government to step up and stand up for all Canadian workers, and this is one of the ways that they can do that.'
Cision Canada
20-05-2025
- Cision Canada
Unifor calls on federal government to punish corporations offshoring Canadian jobs
TORONTO, May 20, 2025 /CNW/ - Unifor, Canada's largest private sector union, is calling on the federal government to take immediate and aggressive action against corporations that move jobs out of Canada in response to U.S. trade measures. The union has presented a detailed proposal, including legislative amendments, outlining how the Foreign Extraterritorial Measures Act (FEMA) can be deployed to penalize corporations that offshore or outsource work to the detriment of Canada's national interest. "Canadian workers should not pay the price for American trade aggression," said Unifor National President Lana Payne. "It's time for the federal government to draw a clear line: if you do business here, you don't get to pack up and leave to avoid tariffs without consequences." While Canada has responded to unfair U.S. tariffs with retaliatory measures, these steps fall short when it comes to stopping companies from offshoring Canadian production to the U.S., resulting in devastating job losses. Unifor is calling on the federal government to immediately apply FEMA to penalize Canadian-based companies in the event they shift operations south of the border in compliance with U.S. pressures or incentives. The case presented by Unifor can be read across varying levels of aggressiveness. FEMA, as it stands, can be used as a tool immediately—although penalties and remedies are currently limited. However, legislated amendments to FEMA (when Parliament returns), intersecting with existing powers under the Customs Tariff, present a suite of very aggressive—almost limitless—punitive measures, up to and including blocking or restricting the import of goods from companies that have offshored Canadian jobs. Read Unifor's letter to Prime Minister Carney and pertinent cabinet ministers here. Under FEMA, the Attorney General—backed by the Minister of Foreign Affairs—has the authority to issue orders that block compliance with foreign measures that harm Canadian interests. These blocking orders would make it a federal offence for companies to move production out of Canada in response to U.S. tariffs or directives, with penalties currently reaching up to $1.5 million for corporations and up to five years' imprisonment for individuals. "This is existing legislation that can be activated today. No new law is needed—just political will to protect Canadian workers and prevent further job losses in vital manufacturing sectors," added Payne. "By using FEMA, and strengthening it through legislative amendments, the government can send a clear message that offshoring Canadian jobs will not be tolerated." Unifor is also calling for stronger penalties, including asset seizures for companies that violate blocking orders, and for FEMA compliance to be a condition for any company seeking relief from Canada's own retaliatory tariffs. "We need to stop rewarding companies that gut our communities and undermine our economy," said Payne. "This is about protecting good Canadian jobs and defending our sovereignty." Unifor is Canada's largest union in the private sector, representing 320,000 workers in every major area of the economy. The union advocates for all working people and their rights, fights for equality and social justice in Canada and abroad, and strives to create progressive change for a better future.
