For Immediate Release
February 3, 2025
NL NDP Leader Jim Dinn (MHA for St. John’s Centre) wrote Premier Furey today to provide solutions to U.S. tariffs, highlighting what can be done to help everyday people.
Dinn wrote that he does appreciate the steps the Premier is taking, but offered more recommendations to help those who will struggle as a result of the looming trade war.
“The cost of living is already the top concern for people in our province, and we must take immediate steps to protect them from impending rising costs and economic uncertainty,” Dinn wrote.
Along with calling for the Premier to open the House of Assembly for a fulsome discussion, Dinn also offered solutions such as increasing the Seniors’ Benefit by 20% and tying it to inflation, eliminating the provincial portion of HST on home heating, groceries, and children’s essentials.
Dinn also asks that the Premier convene a roundtable of community and social organizations, including food banks, shelters, and other frontline service providers, who will be essential in helping vulnerable people navigate the fallout from these tariffs. Their experience will help to shape the province’s response.
“In the end, it must be a strong and unified voice coming from Canada to the U.S. stating we won’t be taken advantage of. These are unprecedented times we are living in, and it requires an all hands on deck approach.”
A full list of recommendations can be found in the letter below.
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For further information, contact Stephanie Curran, Media and Communications Officer, NDP Caucus at 330-0328 (o), or stephaniecurran@gov.nl.ca
Premier Andrew Furey
Office of the Premier
PO Box 8700
St John’s, NL A1B 4J6
February 3, 2025
Dear Premier,
Thank you for your phone call this weekend and for your commitment to keep the NL NDP informed about the ongoing and evolving tariff threat by the President of the USA. On Saturday, February 1 President Trump made good on his threat and launched what can only be described as economic warfare on Canada. Whatever our political differences, MHA Jordan Brown, the NL NDP caucus, and I stand with you, our fellow Canadians, and the people of Newfoundland and Labrador in pushing back against the actions of the American President.
In the end, we need to be united and strong. Premier, you have taken a positive step in convening a trade roundtable, but I believe there is more we need to do to help those who will struggle and are afraid as a result of the looming trade war.
There is no time to waste. We need to act now to protect Newfoundlanders and Labradorians from rising costs and job losses and to ensure that our industries can weather the coming storm. The cost of living is already the top concern for people in our province, and we should take immediate steps to protect them from impending rising costs and economic uncertainty.
Please consider the following recommendations:
· Recall the House of Assembly for an emergency or extraordinary session to respond to the tariffs. It would be an opportunity to demonstrate unity. It could be organised using a format similar to the Churchill Falls MOU debate with representatives of trade, business, labour, and community organisations addressing MHAs.
· Convene regular meetings with members of the opposition parties and independent members similar to what was done during the COVID 19 pandemic. It demonstrates unity and allows participants to get updates, ask questions, and contribute ideas at the same time. As it was with the pandemic, there will likely be many questions and concerns from constituents. It’s important to be on the same word to avoid confusion.
· Convene a roundtable of community and non-profit organisations (for example, Food First NL and women’s groups,) similar to the one for trade and the group that existed during the COVID 19 pandemic. Many people will be affected directly and indirectly as a result of
· tariffs and a trade war, and it will be these organisations who will be on the front line. Their experience and guidance will be essential.
· Include representatives of the Opposition on these roundtables. No one politician has the answer, and it would demonstrate political unity at this challenging time
· Eliminate the provincial portion of HST on home heating, groceries, and children’s essentials such as clothing, footwear, and car seats to help families immediately manage costs;
· Increase the Seniors’ Benefit by 20% and tying it to inflation to protect seniors on fixed incomes from rising prices;
· Remove interprovincial trade barriers to help local businesses expand their markets and stay competitive in a challenging economic climate;
· Provide targeted support for affected industries and workers to protect jobs and help businesses weather the impact of tariffs;
· Strengthen the province’s capacity to produce critical goods locally by investing in local production and supply chains to reduce reliance on external markets and tariffs;
· Implement dedicated support measures for workers who lose their jobs, including retraining programs, job placement services, and financial assistance; and
· Promote a stronger “Buy Local” campaign to support Newfoundland and Labrador businesses, create jobs, and keep money circulating in local communities.
Many of the above will help address the immediate challenges, while others, such as strengthening the province’s capacity to produce critical goods locally are more long term.
How did we get here? How did we go from that to being treated as an enemy, and placed in the position of where we must defend ourselves from an ally? Such a sad decision, and one which will have long lasting effects on the relationship of the two countries.
The current situation deeply saddens me. I watched from my classroom in 2001 as plane after plane flew in St. John’s airport. I knew something was up, but didn’t realise the tragedy behind the unusual air traffic until I went to the office lunchtime and learned the twin towers in New York had been attacked. Our school became a hostel for a week for hundreds of passengers, many from the USA, all of whom were afraid and concerned about their family, friends, and country. We looked after them and made them feel at home. In response, passengers started a scholarship fund for the school. It’s what neighbours and allies do.
MHA Brown and I look forward to discussing these and other ideas in our regular meetings.
Take care,
Jim Dinn
M.H.A., St. John’s Centre
Leader, NL NDP
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