Canada gives Elon Musk, and the US, the finger

BYD car

There is no worse enemy than a friend scorned. Canadian PM Mark Carney proved that emphatically today.

In Carney’s trip to China, Carney and Xi announced today that, in exchange for dramatic reductions in Chinese tariffs on various Canadian goods such as canola meal and other agricultural products, Canada will allow, initially, 49,000 Chinese EV’s to be imported into Canada with only a modest tariff of 6.1%.

Guess how many Teslas were sold in Canada in 2024?

48,124.

Is it a coincidence the two numbers are practically the same? I think not. You can be sure there will be boatloads of Canadians who will gladly scoop up a BYD instead of a Tesla. And since the BYD’s will be cheaper, it will help the Canadian government’s push to get more Canadians to buy EV’s instead of ICE’s.

Carney, reaching trade deal with China, says country is more 'predictable' than U.S.

• Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberal government has reached a “landmark” trade deal with China.
• The deal allows up to 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles into the Canadian market. In return, Ottawa expects Beijing to drop canola seed duties to 15 per cent by March.
• The pact would also remove tariffs on Canadian canola meal, lobsters, crabs and peas from March until at least the end of 2026.
• Carney in Beijing said China is more predictable partner than the U.S.
• Ontario Premier Doug Ford is critical of the EV deal, warning that China now has a "foothold" in the Canadian market and will use it "at the expense of Canadian workers."
• Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe described the deal as a "positive step forward" that came "earlier than some were expecting."

In regards to Doug Ford’s comment, I don’t think he really gets that this will affect more American workers (namely, Tesla workers) than Canadian workers.