These Hamilton voters say the trade war is top of mind but want candidates thinking beyond Trump
4 Hamilton voters say they have questions about policies beyond trade
Voters in Hamilton say that while the economic impacts of U.S. tariffs are top of mind this election, they want to hear more from candidates about other pressing issues.
"We shouldn't make this [election] about [U.S. President] Donald Trump," said Clayton Gomes, who lives in the city's Waterdown area. "We can't let some fool from down south tell us how we want to be."
Instead of focusing on which party leader will best deal with Trump, the 44-year-old said he thinks people should vote for who's right for them and their family, and "What is Canada's identity going forward?"
- Read all of CBC Hamilton's coverage of the federal election here.
The U.S. has placed several tariffs on goods from Canada, including passenger vehicles, steel, aluminum, energy and potash. In response, Canada placed reciprocal tariffs American goods. The ongoing trade war has been a focus of the federal election and strained Canada-U.S. relations.
Four Hamilton-area voters told CBC Hamilton they worry about the trade war affecting their livelihoods, but said they also want candidates talking about more than Trump, and to share clear plans around topics including health care, the environment and housing.
Here's some of what they said.
'What are we giving up to get something?' single dad asks
Gomes, who works as a sales representative for a medical device company, said he doesn't know if the country will be able to pay for politicians' promises and would like to see costed platforms. "What are we giving up to get something?"
He'd also like more details about how the parties plan to support industry in Canada. Gomes used to sell industrial equipment and said he saw firsthand how the loss of factory jobs hurt communities in southwestern Ontario. That decline took years, he said, and so could an economic recovery, especially if a trade war causes more hardship.
Some of the products his company sells come from the U.S., so he also worries about cost increases affecting his work, and downstream effects if medical devices become more expensive.
Generally, Gomes said, he feels aligned with Pierre Poilievre and the Conservative Party. He said he thinks he could benefit from that party's proposed tax break for investors reinvesting in Canada.
Gomes said he doesn't like Carney's longtime support for carbon pricing and disapproved of how the Liberal leader responded when reporters asked him about his assets and possible conflicts of interest last month.
"I don't want my prime minister to talk to people like that."
Realtor-homebuilder considers voting Liberal after years of Tory support
For Christy Scalia, 41, housing and the economy are key issues this election. She lives in Hamilton's Ancaster area and works as a Realtor. Scalia also co-owns a building company with her husband, which she said is affected by tariffs increasing material costs.
"If you have houses being built, you have workers working," Scalia said, and right now, her contractors are telling her it's hard to find jobs.
"I feel like that's a bad omen for the economy. I feel like we have … a lot more pain to come that we haven't really felt yet," she said.
She's skeptical the Liberals' plan to build more affordable homes will have the same economic benefits as the Conservative housing plan and particularly likes Poilievre's pledge to remove GST from the purchase of homes sold for under $1 million.
That would be "incredible" for her business, she said, but she's hesitant about the Conservative leader. "I don't feel like I could trust him."
Scalia, who has reliably voted Conservative since she was in university, said she's considering voting Liberal this election — a "shocking" turn for her.
Carney, however, has caught her eye. "You'd be crazy not to consider him with his resume and his connections."
Still, Scalia said she wants to learn more about Carney, such as his plan to deal with the opioid crisis, before she goes to the polls. "I feel like I can trust him and I want to trust him in handling the economy. I just don't know if there's enough in it for my financial interests."
Hamilton voter wants to know what tax cuts mean for public services
Gregory Elvikis, 38, is also worried about the impact tariffs could have on his livelihood. The "proud, born and raised Hamiltonian" works as an accountant for a company that imports electronic parts from the U.S. He said he'd like to hear more from candidates about how they'll respond to the local effects of tariffs.
Elvikis, who lives in Hamilton's Stoney Creek area, also wants more transparency from the political parties when it comes to their tax cut promises. "With tax cuts, what are the commensurate service cuts?"
Taxes are "a sign of a society working," Elvikis said. "Do you like to know police officers are keeping your street safe? Do you like a fully funded school system? You should love paying taxes."
He said he worries the Liberals cutting the carbon tax will hurt people more than it will help them now that the rebate is ending. He also wants to know what Canada's environmental strategy will be going forward.
Usually, Elvikis votes NDP and he said he hopes to again this time, provided the party announces a candidate for his riding. They hadn't as of deadline.
Election a chance to define what it means to be Canadian, Grimsby voter says
Another person who usually votes NDP is Edward Stubbing, a 39-year-old in nearby Grimsby, Ont. This election, Stubbing said he's looking at the Liberals because he doesn't think the NDP are making enough of an impact.
He said the election is an opportunity for Canadians to define themselves in opposition to the U.S.
One way would be to make stronger progress toward decarbonization and protecting the environment, he said. Stubbing, who works as a transportation engineer, said that's important to him because he wants to leave a good legacy for his two young children.
He said he'd like to know what leaders think it means to be Canadian.
"I'm hoping that whoever the leader is has a clear idea of what that means to be Canadian and hopefully it aligns with the values that many Canadians hold dear."
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