Let us buy the best goods.

The wall has more than one gate.

China-made electric cars still need an import permit. Access goes to car makers or their Canadian agents. A small dealer cannot get one on its own. Cars that get through face a 6.1% duty.

The cap from September 2026 to February 2027 is 24,500 cars, plus unused space from the prior period. This is a limit on supply. It is not a safety test.

A rebate can block choice too.

The federal EV rebate offers up to $5,000 for a new battery car in 2026. The car must be made in Canada or a country with a free trade deal. A car made in China does not meet that rule.

The cap is $50,000 for the final sale value. Cars made in Canada have no cap. A clean-car grant should use fair rules within a clear budget. Where a car was made should not decide its worth.

This is bigger than cars.

The basic duty on a cotton T-shirt is 18%. Some countries get a lower rate under trade deals. On $100 of goods at the border, an 18% rate adds $18 before other costs. That is a tax example, not a claim about the final shop price.

Statistics Canada research links trade with gains in how much firms produce. Imported tools and parts can help firms learn and grow. It also finds that some plants shrink or close. There is no honest single number here for what all current trade barriers cost Canada.

What we want changed

1. Open the gate.

   End import caps and duties that shield firms. Let any qualified importer sell goods that pass clear safety rules.

2. Show the price of each rule.

   Publish who gains, what buyers pay, and the tax revenue lost if each duty ends. Use equal rules for EV rebates.

Who can act

Federal ministers who set trade, tax and car rules can act. Some steps need a new law passed by MPs.

What this could cost the public

Ending duties would reduce tax income. Equal rebate rules may change their cost. We have not priced either change. Publish both costs before choosing a plan.