New Democrats call for tariff response task force, support for workers and local businesses

HALIFAX –As Nova Scotians brace for the impact of potential U.S. tariffs, New Democrats are urging the Houston government to prepare for how it will respond to safeguard the economy and help impacted workers, industries and communities.

On Thursday, NSNDP Leader Claudia Chender wrote to Premier Houston, calling for the immediate creation of a task force that would include key stakeholders from labour unions, Indigenous organizations, and industry.

“The Trump tariffs will have devastating impacts on Nova Scotian businesses and workers. The livelihoods of thousands of Nova Scotians are at risk,” said Chender. “We’ve known about the possibility of tariffs for months, but the Houston government has yet to announce plans to address this potential crisis – and the Premier hasn’t been available to answer questions about how his government will respond.”

Newfoundland has already established a multi-stakeholder roundtable on trade and economic security to coordinate their local response to the potential tariffs.

“Workers will be the most affected by these potential tariffs, and the Houston government needs to act now to protect people’s livelihoods and jobs. Houston should convene a group made up of industry, community, and labour organizations to discuss how we support workers and businesses to offset the impact of these proposed tariffs,” said Chender.

According to Nova Scotia’s Department of Finance, Nova Scotia exported $4.2 billion worth of goods to the U.S. in the first 11 months of 2024.

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