this post was submitted on 12 Oct 2025
33 points (90.2% liked)

Canada

10549 readers
483 users here now

What's going on Canada?



Related Communities


🍁 Meta


πŸ—ΊοΈ Provinces / Territories


πŸ™οΈ Cities / Local Communities

Sorted alphabetically by city name.


πŸ’ SportsHockey

Football (NFL): incomplete

Football (CFL): incomplete

Baseball

Basketball

Soccer


πŸ’» Schools / Universities

Sorted by province, then by total full-time enrolment.


πŸ’΅ Finance, Shopping, Sales


πŸ—£οΈ Politics


🍁 Social / Culture


Rules

  1. Keep the original title when submitting an article. You can put your own commentary in the body of the post or in the comment section.

Reminder that the rules for lemmy.ca also apply here. See the sidebar on the homepage: lemmy.ca


founded 4 years ago
MODERATORS
top 45 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] roserose56@lemmy.zip 1 points 12 minutes ago

It's not like Chinese EV's are bad, but they have started a war to overtake EV industry.
Their government is founding EV companies, to advance and take the lead, putting at risk companies like Ford, BMW and so on.

I sawthis video, and I saw how they have managed to change battery instead of charging the car, and I was impressed of what they can actually do.

[–] nyan@lemmy.cafe 1 points 18 minutes ago

Seems to me that the happy medium here might be a lower tariff. 100% was never justified, but 10% or 25% might be. Just enough to allow European and Japanese manufacturers (I don't give a damn about the US at this point) to price their vehicles somewhat competitively even though they don't have the advantage of ignoring labour rights.

[–] melsaskca@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

I'd buy a Chinese EV. I need an inexpensive vehicle to go from A to B in a city. There doesn't seem to be an inexpensive option anymore in North America.

[–] betanumerus@lemmy.ca 2 points 43 minutes ago

"inexpensive vehicle" usually means a pre-owned vehicle and there are plenty of affordable pre-owned EVs and hybrids on the market. If you're the kind who buys new cars, then Chevy Bolt and Nissan Leaf are the least expensive. If you compare with new ICE cars, don't forget to account for gasoline cost.

[–] rdca@lemmy.world 8 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

Canada needs to diversify the trade to rely less on the USA. The current gov has a huge problem on their hands but also opportunities to do something new!

When it comes to the EV tariffs I see opportunities for Canada, we have factories, some of the raw materials, Human Resources, experienceand logistics in place for the automotive industry! The Ev industry needs more than the cars there is a new ecosystem that can be worked with Chinese companies by doing knowledge transfer, manufacture autos + parts by bringing the suppliers as well. EVs need batteries and the charging network, we can bring these items to the trade talks.

China al has the largest high-speed rail network and why not expand the deals to help Canada build our high-speed rail Network?

Canada can do this and all other things without close relationships with China or other dictatorships. Such governments aren't reliable partners. There are no human rights in China, no willingness to make supply chains transparent, an the country shields off it domestic markets from foreign competition.

[–] ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca 10 points 12 hours ago

Sounds like an easy decision; we sell our rapeseed and get non-American cars.

[–] ikidd@lemmy.world 5 points 10 hours ago

Serious question; how much does China subsidize EV sales to glut markets and buy market share? I'm guessing it's non-zero.

I'd love to see canola embargoes open because I have a bunch of bins full, but is this fair to other vendors, domestic and other foreign makers?

[–] theacharnian@lemmy.ca 5 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago)

Australians have access to Chinese EVs, why can't we?

[–] Kyle@lemmy.ca 14 points 17 hours ago

With Canada so obsessed with keeping vehicle manufacturing jobs to the detriment of every Canadian not wanting to buy American cars. Why does Canada drop the Chinese tarrifs but demand certain assembly and manufacturing of Chinese vehicles happen in Canada?

Sounds like a win win, but they are too stuck on the idea they should only manufacture cars from incumbent companies that are stuck in the past. Canada has significant geological resources like lithium and rare earth metals is an even better reason to be excited about EV production in Canada.

[–] AGM@lemmy.ca 9 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

On October 8th, after Carney's meeting with Trump, Lutnick said that the US is going to insist on dominating the North American auto market and have assembly all happen in the US with Canada being forced into a subordinate role.

We need alternatives.

I doubt we will make this deal with China, because the US will not tolerate that, but it would be much better for Canadians.

[–] Scotty@scribe.disroot.org -1 points 3 hours ago* (last edited 3 hours ago) (1 children)

It would be a catastrophe for Canadians as China seeks to exploit trade opportunities with other countries while at the same time protect its home markets through a wide range of measures no Western country has ever done. Just look at China's trade balances, for example, and you see what happens. But I guess not all people want to see the truth.

[–] AGM@lemmy.ca 1 points 39 minutes ago

Sock puppet Scotty, at it again, joined by sock puppet randomname this time. What time are you two clocking off for the day?

[–] IndridCold@lemmy.ca 20 points 21 hours ago (2 children)

I say we do this. The ONLY reason Canada put tariffs on Chinese EVs is because of the US - back when the US was our friend. Those days are well over.

From what I understand, Chinese EVs out perform the US ones (charge quicker with longer range) and are way cheaper.

[–] BlameThePeacock@lemmy.ca 11 points 18 hours ago (2 children)

I have a security concern with Chinese EVs.

They're far too computerized, and connected, at this point.

The last thing I want is the ability for the Chinese government to disable a quarter of the Canadian vehicle fleet if they decided they wanted to. Or potentially even worse than disabling them in some cases.

[–] melsaskca@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 hour ago

Canada should not buy those american F35's for exactly the same reason(s).

[–] theacharnian@lemmy.ca 7 points 11 hours ago (2 children)

American cars are the same, and China hasn't joked about making us their 24th province.

[–] BlameThePeacock@lemmy.ca 0 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

I'm far less concerned about the American government disabling vehicles in Canada. If America wanted to take us over we couldn't even dream of stopping them.

China could benefit from causing problems though.

[–] theacharnian@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

At this point it's not even inconceivable for Americans to do something as retaliation for, say, Dougie Ford shutting down electricity. Or use it as a bargain chip as part of playing it tough in a negotiation.

Or forget the taking us over bit. It's not the taking over that is hard for them, it's keeping control. We can very effectively resist and make the occupation extremely costly for them. Every bit of leverage they have makes this harder.

Fuck, is it that inconceivable that if they go full Gilead they wouldn't start shit like controlling whether you can drive your car to an abortion clinic?

[–] randomname@scribe.disroot.org -3 points 7 hours ago

No, China hasn't joked about that, but they will do so if they can.

[–] reddig33@lemmy.world 1 points 17 hours ago (1 children)

China isn’t Canada’s friend. Spending money on Chinese goods means you are funding Russia’s war against Ukraine.

If you need to import something, why not import it from the EU? They make EVs. As does South Korea.

https://www.reuters.com/world/china/china-provides-intelligence-russia-ukraine-targets-ukrainian-intelligence-says-2025-10-04/

[–] theacharnian@lemmy.ca 5 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

This reasoning is weird. Was buying American goods or UK goods or German goods funding Israel's genocide in Gaza??

[–] randomname@scribe.disroot.org 0 points 7 hours ago (1 children)

Why buying Chinese goods funding Chinese genocide in Xinjiang, Tibet, Inner Mongolia?

[–] theacharnian@lemmy.ca 3 points 2 hours ago

Are you asking me or the person I'm responding to? They are the one that started talking about buying things as funding genocides. I merely questioned the consistency of applying the principle.

[–] DonkMagnum@lemy.lol 11 points 21 hours ago (2 children)

Wanna see a trick? I can make bots appear, watch this:

Maybe if China agrees to stop being a threat to Taiwan, stops interfering in our politics, and stops spying on us, and builds some auto plants here to employ some Canadians, we can talk about their fucking EVs. Until then, we already have one international bully as a trade partner, we don't need more.

[–] mrdown@lemmy.world 9 points 20 hours ago* (last edited 20 hours ago) (1 children)

Canada lied about stop selling arms to israel who are we to gives lessons?

The reasons we have tariffs on China has nothing to do with bs you spew we did it to protect the usa car industry

[–] DonkMagnum@lemy.lol 1 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

The American and Japanese auto industries both employ Canadians.

[–] mrdown@lemmy.world 4 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

Chinese would also employ Canadians or any other countries investing in Canada. Why couldn't we start investing in our own companies to build cars?

Chinese would also employ Canadians or any other countries investing in Canada.

No. Chinese factories abroad employ Chinese migrant workers as it has been also said here on Lemmy multiple times. Also, Canadian suppliers won't be deliver much as Chinese EV makes employ their own suppliers from integrated value chains.

[–] redwhacker@social.trom.tf 6 points 20 hours ago (2 children)

@DonkMagnum @IndridCold Not a fan of China, but it's sort of rich to demand non-interference when inferring some interference ourselves.

Maybe if China agrees to stop being a threat to Taiwan, stops interfering in our politics

Also this is rich:

builds some auto plants here to employ some Canadians,

So does that mean we will be basing our canola growers in China?

[–] twopi@lemmy.ca 3 points 17 hours ago

You forgot one thing, when OP has a bad take it is called "the correct opinion and the obvious stance expressed with freedom" when some else does (or has a good take that OP doesn't like) it's called bots interfering in our politics.

[–] DonkMagnum@lemy.lol -1 points 19 hours ago (2 children)

lol. Do you really think the economic impact of our canola industry is on par with the potential impact Chinese EVs? It's a ridiculous notion.

[–] adespoton@lemmy.ca 4 points 19 hours ago

Is it? Have you run the numbers?

Just think about the amount of land in Canada dedicated to growing canola vs the amount dedicated to building EVs. Or the number of people employed, for that matter.

[–] redwhacker@social.trom.tf 3 points 19 hours ago

@DonkMagnum No, I do not.

But it does beg the question why you didn't lead with that instead of your cute grandstanding initial comment.

[–] Devanismyname@lazysoci.al 7 points 20 hours ago

Do it. Canola is an important industry to Canada and we don't make evs here anyway.

[–] A_A@lemmy.world 4 points 18 hours ago

Between USA that has gone completely mad and this other superpower, China, that supports Russia, which wages war against its allies, this put Canada in a difficult situation. Canola and electric vehicles might just be entry level bargaining points ... who knows, certainly not me.

[–] snoons@lemmy.ca 3 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

I don't drive, but that'd be cool if canola oil became even cheaper. :3

[–] BlameThePeacock@lemmy.ca 5 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

The oil would become more expensive, because it can now be exported cheaper.

[–] snoons@lemmy.ca 1 points 18 hours ago

Dang peacocks >:(

[–] randomname@scribe.disroot.org 0 points 20 hours ago (3 children)

This would be a bad deal for Canada.

[–] grte@lemmy.ca 3 points 3 hours ago

Yeah, kneecapping our canola industry to support the USA's foreign policy, on the other hand, is a great deal for us.

[–] danielquinn@lemmy.ca 13 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

This would be a bad deal for ~~Canada~~ the big car companies that have been producing massive, dangerous, filthy, wasteful monster trucks instead of smaller EVs thanks to protectionist policies.

FTFY

[–] randomname@scribe.disroot.org -1 points 7 hours ago

Accusing Canada or other Western countries of protectionism while defending China is a bit of hypocrisy, no?

In addition, look why these ChEaP cHiNeSe CaRs are that cheap. I don't want to buy a car or anything else that is made by slave labor.

[–] rekabis@lemmy.ca 9 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

This would be a bad deal for Canada.

Point out even a single Canadian-made EV that would be affected by this.

There are no negative effects, so long as the vehicles pass safety standards. Bonus if we can enter into partnerships that would see those EVs assembled here.

And the low cost of these EVs would make vehicle ownership far easier for our young people, who already have an environment 8Γ— more expensive (compared to their median wage) than their parents experienced at the same age.

[–] randomname@scribe.disroot.org -1 points 7 hours ago

The entire Canadian economy would be negatively effected in the long-term by such a move.