What to know
- Premier Ford once again criticized Ottawa’s decision to reduce tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles.
- Ford also framed the deal as a national security risk, referring to Chinese EVs as ‘spy vehicles’.
- Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada and China understand each other’s ‘red lines’ and that his government is focused on managing evolving security threats.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford is doubling down on his criticism of Ottawa’s newly announced trade deal with China, warning it could hurt Canada’s auto sector and pose security risks.
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Speaking at the Rural Ontario Municipal Association’s annual general meeting in Toronto on Monday, Ford took aim at the Liberals’ decision to reduce tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles (EVs).
He stressed his continued support for workers in the auto industry and the union that represents them.
“I will continue to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with our autoworkers and with Unifor — the hardworking people,” Ford said.
Unifor, which represents roughly 40,000 workers in Canada’s auto sector, has also condemned the deal, calling it “a self-inflicted wound to an already injured Canadian auto industry.”
The union says the timing is particularly concerning, coming ahead of a scheduled review of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) later this year.
With goods moving across borders, Ford says some Chinese-made EVs entering Canada could ultimately end up in the United States.
“I’m not too sure if President Trump wants Chinese ‘spy vehicles’ coming across the border, but I’m betting the answer is, ‘No’,” Ford said.
He went on to claim that Chinese-made technology poses surveillance risks.
“When you get on your cell phone, it’s the Chinese that are listening to your – and I’m not making this stuff up – they’re going to be listening to your telephone conversation,” Ford said.
Later in the day at Queen’s Park, Ford was pressed by reports on the basis of his claims.
“It’s very simple,” Ford said. “When the prime minister and his team are over there [in China], they use burner phones”
Ford also pointed to comments made by Prime Minister Mark Carney when he first took office.
“The prime minister did mention – when he got elected – that the number one country for national security threat is China,” Ford said
Doug Ford claims Chinese EVs will spy on Canadians and listen to their phone calls.
— Harrison Faulkner (@Harry__Faulkner) January 19, 2026
Q: "What evidence do you have that China will spy on Ontarians or listen to their phone calls?"
A: "When the Prime Minister and his team are over there, they use burner phones. You're making a… pic.twitter.com/WLrYW5VjEE
Carney’s recent visit to Beijing marked the first time a Canadian prime minister visited the country since 2017. The trip resulted in the bilateral trade agreement involving Chinese EVs and Canadian canola as well as increased security cooperation between the two countries and visa-free program allowing Canadians to visit China for up to 30 days.
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When asked whether he still considers China as a security threat, Prime Minister Mark Carney said the two countries “have an understanding” of each other’s expectations and red lines.
“The security landscape continues to change,” he told reporters in Beijing. “In a world that is more dangerous and divided, we face many threats.”
“My responsibility as the prime minister – the job of the government – is to manage those threats,” he added.
According to the Prime Minister’s Office, the 49,000 EVs will be imported from China with “the most-favoured-nation tariff rate of 6.1%”. That number is expected to grow to about 70,000 over five years.
The federal government says the deal will eventually bring in Chinese investments into Canada and “protect and create new auto manufacturing careers for Canadian workers, and ensure a robust build-out of Canada’s EV supply chain.”
