Letter to the Editor: Let’s get building, together

As Donald Trump’s tariffs take our jobs and threaten our standard of living, Canadians should be united in one common purpose: to build our way back to a stronger, more independent economy.

As Prime Minister Mark Carney government’s Major Project’s Office works to identify and fast-track projects that will fortify our nation, it’s going to take the hard work and dedication of every available construction worker and contractor to make this effort a success.

That’s why a campaign by the Canadian Building Trades Unions (CBTUs) seems tone deaf to Canada’s current economic and labour realities. We’re building big infrastructure projects during the worst skilled labour shortage of our time.

The campaign threatens to divide Canadians and our construction industry by calling for rigid labour, apprenticeship rules and wage rates that are designed to shut non-CBTU workers and good contractors out of nation-building projects. Sidelining talented people and ignoring the benefits of competition, does nothing to provide good public value, drive innovation or encourage needed investment.

Many of Canada’s most important projects have been successfully and proudly built by workers from diverse labour models, working side by side. That’s how we build.

So, let’s not let Trump or any other bullies prevent us from nation-building, the Canadian way: not divided, but together.