Prairie Farmers Sacrificed to Save Ontario’s Battery Plants

Canada is knee-deep in a trade war—again. But no one in power wants to admit it. As we head into the middle of a federal election, Prime Minister Mark Carney and the mainstream media are curiously silent on one of the most pressing economic issues affecting this country: our trade war with China. Instead, we’re being fed a narrative about patriotism, fairness, and environmental stewardship. Strip away the slogans, though, and it becomes painfully obvious who’s being sacrificed—once again. Prairie farmers.

Back on October 1, 2024, the Trudeau government imposed a 100% tariff on electric vehicles manufactured in China. The justification was that Canada needed to protect its fledgling EV sector from unfair competition. Beijing was accused—rightly, to an extent—of flooding markets with subsidized vehicles produced under loose environmental and labour standards. But that’s only half the story.

What Ottawa didn’t say then—and what the Carney Liberals are refusing to talk about now—is who really stands to benefit. It’s not Canadian-owned companies. It’s foreign giants like Volkswagen, Stellantis, and Northvolt. These are the multinationals that received tens of billions of taxpayer dollars to set up battery plants in Ontario and Quebec. And as those massive government handouts flow east, farmers across Western Canada are left holding the bag.

China didn’t waste time retaliating. Within days, Beijing slapped 100% tariffs on Canadian rapeseed oil, oil cakes, and peas—hitting our canola industry where it hurts most. China remains our top buyer of canola, importing 4.8 million tonnes last year alone, worth over $3 billion. Losing that market isn’t just inconvenient—it’s devastating.

Now the consequences are starting to land. Market access has plummeted, making Canadian canola far less competitive. With export routes blocked, more product stays at home, flooding the domestic market and pushing prices down. Farm incomes are taking a beating—especially at a time when interest rates remain high and the carbon tax debate is heating up again. And it’s not just a seasonal problem. Farmers rely on long-term planning and stable global markets. Losing China isn’t a short-term blip—it’s a long-term blow to the Prairie economy.

Canola isn’t a side crop. It generates close to $30 billion annually for Canada, with 80% of that coming from Saskatchewan and Alberta. Manitoba plays a significant role too. This isn’t about politics—it’s about people’s jobs, families, and livelihoods. And yet, in the middle of all this, where is the federal leadership? Or provincial support?

Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe isn’t staying silent. He’s calling for the immediate removal of tariffs on Chinese EVs, rightly pointing out that this policy doesn’t help Canadians—it helps foreign-owned businesses while devastating local farmers. Moe understands the stakes. He knows that a weakened farm economy can ripple across the region for years. He sees beyond the headlines.

But where is Wab Kinew? Manitoba’s Premier seems more focused on producing TikTok content than addressing a crisis that threatens thousands of families in his province. While Prairie farmers lie awake at night wondering if they can keep the lights on, Kinew’s out chasing clicks. His silence is deafening. Once again, Manitoba’s farmers are left without a champion.

Let’s ask the real question: Do retaliatory tariffs ever work? Sure, they’re sold as a way to stand up for national industries, to fight back against unfair practices. But in practice, they reduce consumer choice, raise prices, and hurt the very sectors they claim to protect. In this case, Canadian consumers will pay more for electric vehicles. Not everyone can afford a Tesla. For many Canadians, more affordable Chinese EVs were a gateway into green transportation.

That door has now slammed shut.

Meanwhile, Prairie farmers are watching their biggest export market disappear. That’s not just a hit to the agriculture sector—it’s a hit to every community that depends on farming. Lower revenues mean less money spent on equipment, fuel, repairs, local businesses, and services.

Jobs vanish. Rural economies shrink.

This isn’t just bad trade policy—it’s bad economics. The winners here are easy to spot: multinational corporations that don’t answer to Canadians, don’t reinvest in our communities, and don’t care what happens in rural Saskatchewan or Manitoba. Volkswagen, Stellantis, and Northvolt are collecting over $28 billion in subsidies. Northvolt, by the way, filed for bankruptcy in Sweden earlier this year—but somehow still has the full backing of our government to build in Canada.

So who’s winning? Not Canadian farmers. Not working families in Western Canada. Not the taxpayers footing the bill. The battery plant deals may look good on campaign posters in Ontario and Quebec, but they are paid for by lost jobs and broken futures out West.

We don’t need empty slogans. We need smart, balanced policy. Yes, Canada needs a competitive EV sector. But that can’t come at the expense of our farmers or our international trade relationships. We need leadership that understands all regions matter—not just the ones with the most seats.

Scott Moe is showing leadership. He’s standing up for farmers. He’s calling out the unfairness. Meanwhile, Wab Kinew is silent, and the Carney Liberals are more interested in controlling the narrative than fixing the problem.

This trade war didn’t have to happen. Ottawa could reverse course and return to real negotiations. We could work with allies to counter unfair Chinese trade practices without crippling our own farmers. But that would require vision and courage—qualities in short supply these days.

Canada is a trading nation. We don’t win by isolating ourselves or picking fights we’re not prepared to win. We win by being smart, strategic, and united. And right now, we’re failing on all fronts.

Farmers are paying the price for bad policy and political theatre. If Mark Carney really wants to lead, he needs to end this tariff war—and if he won’t, then maybe it’s time Canadians elected someone who will.

Scott Moe gets it. Wab Kinew should be taking notes.