NDP leader vows to 'fight like hell' to protect Windsor's EV sector

Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles on Friday vowed to "fight like hell" — if she's elected premier — to protect jobs in Windsor and the rest of Ontario against tariffs U.S. President Donald Trump has said he'll impose Saturday.

Surrounded by representatives of several unions at Unifor Local 200's Turner Road union office, Stiles promised income protection and job protection for workers affected by the tariffs and said she would continue the deals the Ford government made to attract battery plants to the province. 

"Workers here in Windsor and all across Ontario, they deserve a government that has their backs, a government that's on your side, and that's why I'm here: to make a commitment to you," Stiles said. 

"The NDP will protect workers from these painful tariffs, and we will fight back against Trump's threats. We're going to defend the auto sector, and we're going to defend the progress that you all made on electric vehicles, on the EV sector."

Stiles was joined by Windsor West candidate Lisa Gretzky, Windsor-Tecumseh candidate Gemma Grey-Hall and Essex candidate Rachael Mills. 

The White House confirmed Friday that U.S. President Donald Trump will implement  25 per cent tariffs on Canada and Mexico and a 10 per cent tariff on China starting Saturday – despite earlier reporting to the contrary.

When pressed by reporters Friday, Stiles failed to provide specifics on how her income protection promise would work to help those affected.

Stiles denies skepticism over battery plant deals

She also denied having previously expressed skepticism about the province's deals with Stellantis and Volkswagen.

The PC government agreed to an auto pact with the federal government in 2023 to pay one-third of production incentives in deals with the two automakers for their EV battery plants.

Stiles had said on Thursday that she wanted to take a look at the deals, saying "Doug Ford does not make good deals for Ontario generally, and I'm going to be looking very carefully at the details of the deals that he's struck with those folks."

In addition to protecting auto industry jobs and incomes, she also pledged Friday to improve health care and education and tackle affordability. 

The NDP hold just one seat in the Windsor-Essex region — Windsor West, held by Gretzky — and the PCs have made it clear they are targeting that seat.

Asked for her reaction, Stiles laughed and said, "Are you kidding me? I'd love to see … Doug Ford take on Lisa Gretzky. I've seen it in the legislature multiple times, and he's lost every single battle with her."

Ford says he'll honour Ontario's EV commitment

Stiles's visit to Windsor comes just two days after Ford launched his campaign in the city, saying he needs a new mandate to deal with the economic fallout from Trump's tariffs.

The PC leader promised at the time to spend "tens of billions of dollars" to keep people working and retrain them if necessary.

Speaking at a campaign stop in London, Ont., on Thursday, Ford also said he would honour Ontario's commitment to the burgeoning electric vehicle sector if re-elected.

"Even if President Trump tears up America's commitment to the auto industry, we will not," Ford said.

Today marks the third day of the four-week provincial election campaign. Voters go to the polls on Feb. 27.