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Boston Globe
25-04-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
Windsor and Detroit were close-knit cities on the US-Canada border. Then Trump ripped them apart.
Normally, those would be a major attraction for the 145 well-heeled attendees who ponied up Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up Despite the border, the two cities have had a symbiotic relationship, tied tightly together for decades by the major auto industry presence on both sides of the Detroit River. Advertisement Then President Trump stormed into office in January, levying tariffs against Canada and suggesting it should become the 51st US state. His actions and rhetoric have strained that cross-border kinship like nothing since the War of 1812, jeopardizing the Windsor area's economy and doing something thought nearly impossible: making the easygoing Canadians mad as hell. Those Pistons tickets (including unlimited food, drink, and a hotel stay), were valued at $6,000, but only brought in $1,500, Hetherington said. Bids on a luxury vacation in Florida featuring private jet transportation, worth $30,000, topped out at just $12,000. And a seven-night trip to Las Vegas, which sold for $6,000 last year, fetched only $1,500. Advertisement People were hesitant to bid on anything involving the United States, he said, while everything else was in high demand on 'We don't hate the United States. We love the United States. I mean, we're partners, we're neighbors,' Hetherington said. 'It's just that there seems to be one guy in your country that is being a real jerk to our country, and we're not happy about it. And I think that was the vibe in the room.' That was also the vibe around Windsor just days before Monday's federal elections. Trump has become the pivotal issue, helping propel the ruling Liberal Party from a large polling deficit at the start of the year to 'We should all light candles to Donald Trump,' said John McKay, a liberal member of Parliament from the Toronto area for three decades. 'He has brought Canadians together like I've never seen in my lifetime.' 'We don't need their oil. We don't need their lumber. We don't need their cars. We don't need anything,' Trump said while significantly overstating the US trade deficit with Canada. 'Why are we spending $200 billion to support and subsidize another country? Because if they didn't have us, and if we didn't spend that money . . . they would cease to exist.' Advertisement Those threats hit the Windsor area as hard as any place in Canada. Some of the Canadian-only products sold at Whiskeyjack Boutique in downtown Windsor, Ontario. Jim Puzzanghera/Globe Staff The Ambassador Bridge connecting the city to Detroit is But since Trump hit Canada with a slew of tariffs — on steel, aluminum, cars, and other products — border crossings here are down and weekend discretionary traffic to Detroit is off by 15 percent, according to Ryan Donally, president of the regional Chamber of Commerce. Business is booming at Advertisement Outside an Ontario cemetery, my favorite sign from a trip to see the impact of Trump's tariffs. — Jim Puzzanghera (@JimPuzzanghera) 'It's the uncertainty that's impacting business, impacting people, impacting investment, and it has everyone, frankly, on edge,' Dilkens said Wednesday from a conference room in City Hall with a view across the river to the Detroit skyline. 'I'll tell you, my mother hates Donald Trump. I said, 'You're giving yourself a coronary. He's not your president. Like, let it go. There's nothing you can do.' ' Canadians say they feel stabbed in the back. While For decades, the auto industry has operated seamlessly here, with major assembly plants and parts makers on both sides of the Detroit River. Auto parts cross the border multiple times in a manufacturing process that can feature many different companies, including the specialized tool, dye, and mold-makers that Windsor is known for. Advertisement In addition to a 25 percent US tariff on cars imported from Canada, Trump has said he'll decide by May 3 whether to extend that to Canadian auto parts. Canada already has responded with tariffs on some US vehicles and could retaliate on auto parts as well. Hitting those parts with tariffs each time they travel from one country to another would 'It's taken years, like literally half a century, for some of these relationships to get to where they are today. And then, in one fell swoop, you see that those relationships and those agreements are now in question, in doubt, or are being canceled,' said Jonathon Azzopardi, president of Laval, a mold and equipment manufacturer just outside Windsor that supplies auto parts. 'So it's pretty dramatic.' The Stellantis Windsor Assembly Plant, a sprawling factory dating to 1928 that makes Chrysler minivans and the Dodge Charger Daytona, The uncertainty that has swept through the region and the rest of Canada has made Trump the focus of the federal elections. That's dramatically boosted the prospects of the Liberal Party after polls heading into this year showed voters eager for a change. But Advertisement Carney and Poilievre have both criticized Trump's tariffs and threat to Canada's sovereignty. Dilkens, a conservative, said he's dubious of polls pointing to a big liberal victory while acknowledging Trump has hurt his party's attempt to focus on other issues, like the cost of living. 'I think Pierre is speaking to Canadians and their concerns better than Mark Carney,' Dilkens said. 'But I think a lot of the political communication is still being overshadowed by the Donald Trump cloud.' Keith Pickard, a liberal candidate for the Canadian Parliament, with some of the food labels made by his company, Eclipse Packaging, at its factory in Kingsville, Ontario. Jim Puzzanghera/Globe Staff 'Donald Trump made the Canadian people say, 'Who's the best leader that we want in Ottawa?' It's not about the politics of yesterday,' said Keith Pickard, a business owner in Kingsville, Ontario, about 45 minutes southeast of Windsor. The son of a former member of Parliament, Pickard said he had never thought about running himself until Trump came into office in January. The looming tariffs forced him to put on hold a $30 million factory project to make corrugated boxes that he had been developing for two years. It would have employed 400 people using paper from Indiana and served the region's large greenhouse farming industry as well as foreign producers. Given his extensive business experience with cross-border trade, Pickard said he felt compelled to challenge the conservative lawmaker in his district and work to battle Trump's tariffs. 'A real fear struck me of what's going to happen with our kids. . . . Eighty percent of what we manufacture is exported. So what happens to those jobs?' Pickard said in the office of his company, Eclipse Packaging, which also makes food labels. 'Canadians feel betrayed.' Sam Brodey of the Globe staff contributed to this report. Jim Puzzanghera can be reached at
CBC
05-02-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Gauging how the threat of a trade war has affected the Canadian pro sports landscape
Social Sharing Tuesday Jan. 28 marked 500 days ahead of the 2026 FIFA Men's World Cup. Toronto and Vancouver are host cities of the mega-event in which Canada, the U.S., and Mexico are the throuple-hosting the biggest soccer tournament in the world. When U.S. President Donald Trump signed an order to put a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian goods, a wave of indignance swept through the country. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's response was to impose taxes on U.S. goods. In a meeting on Monday afternoon, Trump agreed to hold the the tariffs for 30 days but the sentiment remains. The memes began but so did the swift response. Across social media, people began sharing lists of Canadian-only products to buy, ultimately boycotting U.S. goods. There was information sharing in the form of satire and all over my social media feeds. But what about sports? How does this impact the world of sports? Did it simply galvanize a sense of nationalism? The sport world is now interrogating how the mega-event 2026 FIFA World Cup will be managed with the current economic freeze and political instability between the countries. It's become more than friendly competition. WATCH | Fans in Ottawa boo American anthem before Sens-Wild game: 3 days ago Duration 5:00 Fans booed at an Ottawa Senators game on Saturday against the Minnesota Wild, and then at Scotiabank Arena on Sunday at a Toronto Raptors game. One attendee told me that players on the L.A. Clippers looked surprised and slightly confused. A source told me that the 15 year-old anthem singer was prepared and advised to expect some crowd reactions. Although her rendition of the Star Spangled Banner was boo-ed, O Canada was met with exuberance. Hello & Welcome co-creator and co-host, William Lou, was working at the game from media row and posted to X (formerly Twitter) about Canadian fans booing the American anthem. I asked Lou about what it felt like to be there and witness these fan reactions firsthand. "Anthems are usually the most boring part of sporting events, but I took my phone out and started paying attention," Lou told me during a phone call. "One person started booing loudly and it rippled around the entire arena. Not as loud as the boos when Vince Carter would come back to play but it was pretty notable." Lou has never seen that type of response "happen organically" from the Toronto crowd in over 10 years. "You can see because of the U.S. anthem, there was more vigor to sing the Canadian anthem. It is always a big deal when everyone sings together … for people to express themselves collectively. It's rare that it happens at a Raptors Game." What now? How badly have Trump's tariff threats sullied the vibes? Will the love of sport be enough to repair a damaged relationship? Will FIFA President Gianni Infantino step into a diplomatic role and try to assuage any hard feelings? What happens to the rest of sports that are so intertwined across the longest undefended border in the world? Now that Canada is supposed to be in full disdain for our American neighbours, what about all the joint projects in the sports world? What about the World Cup? I asked Canada Soccer about the potential tariffs and the tournament. Paulo Senra, chief communications officer sent me a statement via email. "We know that this is a serious matter that impacts the lives of many Canadians. Right now, we are focusing on continuing to build a world-class organization and prioritizing ways to set up our players for success on the world stage." Analysis The trade war is off — but for how long? Last year, CBC Sports reported exclusively that a WNBA expansion team would begin in the 2026 season. Might the only Canadian team in an American league be affected? I reached out to the Toronto Tempo to ask whether "trade wars" might affect Tempo planning and roll-out. Lisa Paquin of Craft Public Relations, the agency handling Tempo PR, replied to me to say they don't have any commentary at this time. Perhaps it's too early to know. All of it feels so chaotic and changing from hour to hour. Canadian athletes in the U.S. And what about Canadian players like Kia Nurse, Aliyah Edwards, Bridget Carleton, Jamal Murray, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and more? They all play proudly for Canada with maple leafs on their chests, but are situated in the United States for work. Dr. Cheri Bradish is director of the future of sport lab and chair of marketing management at Toronto Metropolitan University. She told me that there will be numerous impacts from across the sector, from large scale event implications to per sport consumer stings. "The impacts to the Canadian dollar, the lowest it's been in 20 years, will also have significant pressures on Canadian teams and leagues," Bradish told me via email. "From a labour relations perspective, such as the NHL for player and coach contracts paid in U.S. dollars — not to mention related media contracts and commitments." I can't help but think of the PWHL. There are so many Canadian and American players who play across the border. If we are expected to be furious with America, what about players like Jamie Lee Rattray, a beloved Canadian, who plays for the Boston Fleet? I reached out to the PWHL, but the league replied saying it would not be commenting at this time. Sport consumers could feel 'a deep pinch' What about all the fans who have waited for merchandise and tickets for women's professional leagues or athletes who need equipment and will feel the impact of added taxing? "The sport consumer will feel a deep pinch as well," Bradish told me. "Sporting equipment is now on the Trudeau tariff list, meaning increased expenses, and with a softened economy attending sporting events is likely to suffer as well, as sport fandom and attendance is largely a discretionary spend, and will be the first to go for consumers and citizens who have impact on their family wallet." The Rivalry Series in women's hockey contested between Canada and the U.S. is one of the most thrilling competitions in sports. The two teams have an incredible history of camaraderie (now many are PWHL players) and competition but the calibre of sport is incredible. They have games this week in Halifax, and in Summerside, P.E.I. One can't help but wonder about the effects on players and whether there are any concerns for them at this time. When Trump suggested again that he'd make Canada the 51st state, it was no less an outlandish statement to make as it was initially. National sovereignty is not something to joke about or take lightly. It's like taking a hit at a sports fan or a politically engaged citizen — there will be a response. There are many unknowns in the economic and political world right now. What we do know is the "True North Strong and Free" part will reverberate loudly up here. Tolerance for Trump's financial moves will be welcomed as happily as Canadian geese marching on a public walkway when people have to run past. The tenacity emerging from Canada may embolden a sense of national pride that hasn't been tested this way in a while ¡ on the court or off.
