GTA councillors launch online campaign to fight Trump tariff threat

Canadian municipalities drive the national economy, much the same way their American counterparts do. And when something impacts communities in Canada, it will impact their U.S. counterparts just as much.

This is the message a pair of Ontario councillors are hoping to remind their colleagues across Canada and the United States in light of the tariff threats that have been espoused by incoming U.S. president Donald Trump. Trump has suggested he plans to launch a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian imports the day he takes office (on Jan. 20).

In response to this threat, Rowena Santos, a two-term councillor from the City of Brampton, and Chris Leahy, a three-term regional councillor from the Town of Whitby, have joined together to launch From City to City, a campaign calling on local leaders to step up and lend their support to push back against Trump’s threats.

“Sure, the federal government might’ve said something, and now Doug Ford is saying something, but really the economic impact (of imposing tariffs) is going to be felt locally,” Santos said. “All orders of government – whether that’s municipal, provincial, federal – we have to roll up our sleeves and make sure that we defend our sovereignty and our local economies.”

Leahy agreed the tariff threat is a “huge concern” for cities across both Canada and the U.S.

Given what he refers to as “a vacuum of leadership now in Ottawa,” Leahy said cities need to be part of pushing back against the Trump threat. He also points to Trump’s increasingly hostile rhetoric around annexing Canada – not to mention buying Greenland and occupying the Panama Canal – as reasons why the threats can’t be ignored as typical Trump just saying things to get a reaction from people.

“It’s literally like we’re in the Twilight Zone. I’ve also heard residents that are like, ‘Oh, it’s all bluster. Just ignore it.’ But what a risk, “Leahy said. “We can’t afford to assume everything’s going to be OK.”

Ad Campaign to Target U.S. Leaders

From City to City will be unveiling an ad campaign that will target all high-profile members of the U.S. government when they descend on Washington D.C. for the inauguration. Hundreds of thousands of other people will also be on hand for the swearing-in ceremonies.

They will get ads that land on their devices. Technology allows the campaign to serve ads to everyone who will be in Washington that day.

While Santos and Leahy launched the campaign back on Jan. 6, they are calling on local leaders from across the country to join the fight. This means joining the campaign through the From City to City website.

Santos said the goal is to get councillors from both Canada and the U.S. to sign up to protect their local economies and local jobs, and to stand up for their local communities.

A big part of From City to City is signing up on the website. But that isn’t the campaign’s only call to action.

Santos said she and Leahy are also encouraging councillors to produce their own social media videos speaking out against the tariff threat. They will also provide support in that effort, including providing some messaging on that as well. The tone of that messaging, Leahy said, depends on the audience.

When dealing with Trump, who Leahy said seems to “prey on weakness and only respect strength,” there must be a willingness to respond in kind with that strength.

“If we’re successful, no one will even know that there’s any such things as a tariff because they won’t even happen. That’s the objective,” Leahy said. “And it’s also an opportunity to educate. You look at the folks in the U.S., they’re probably not sure how much of their trade is with Canada. How much of their electricity comes from Durham Region. So respond with strength, educate that it’s a bad idea, and get them to reach out to the decision makers to change their minds.”

Local Perspectives Matter

Santos used her own community as an example. There are thousands of Brampton residents who depend on trade for their livelihood.

The Stellantis automotive plant in Brampton is being retooled to manufacture Chrysler’s Jeep Cherokee, with hundreds of employees working in logistics. The CN intermodal station in Brampton is where American-made products land in Canada. From there, they are shipped to factories and distribution centres across the GTA.

On the other hand, Canadian products start their journey in Brampton to be shipped to the U.S. and across Canada. Slowing trade kills jobs and reduces income for those residents.

“I am not going to stand by and watch those jobs go up in smoke because the Trump administration doesn’t fully grasp how interdependent we are economically,” Santos said. “My city and other cities throughout the U.S. depend on each other, and we need a municipal response to this threat.”

Leahy shares a similar perspective. The Durham Region has a GM plant and two nuclear power stations. When Trump talks about tariffs on cars and car parts, he’s talking about killing jobs in Durham Region.

In response, when Ford talks about cutting electricity sales to New York and Michigan, Leahy said the premier is referring to the energy being produced at the Pickering and Darlington nuclear plants.

“In Durham Region, we are the nuclear energy-generating centre of North America. Premier Doug Ford’s threats to cut off energy to New Yorkers will mean higher energy bills and possibly brownouts and blackouts for them,” Leahy said. “Reduced production and distribution from Durham Region will hurt Detroiters and New Yorkers who need the energy generated by our people.”

Positive Initial Response

From City to City hasn’t been operating for long, but both Santos and Leahy said they have been buoyed by the initial response.

Leahy called the response “exceptionally positive.” He also said people “regardless of political stripe,” have been proud of what the campaign is trying to accomplish.

People are happy to see a pro-Canada approach, which is why reaching out to local councillors across Canada, as well as the U.S., is so important.

“We’re also targeting the inauguration, as well as other significant events where we’re going to have a lot of policymakers and decision makers attending in the U.S.,” Leahy said. “We really think these tariffs are a bad idea. We want to get that message across.”

Santos agreed that people are quickly paying attention to the campaign. In fact, the initial social media message that Santos and Leahy posted on X on Jan. 6 generated about 82,000 views within a 24-hour period. And the comments aren’t just coming from Canadians either.

“There was one American who said, we’re with you Canada, we’d love to join you. We’d love to have California join Canada and get access to health care,” Santos said. “So, the response so far even without paid advertising, organically, has been pretty incredible.”

For more information, visit www.fromcitytocity.ca.  MW

✯ Municipal World Executive and Essentials Plus Members: You might also be interested in David Roewade’s article: Planning for impactful environmental outcomes.

Sean Meyer is digital content editor for Municipal World.

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