20. Trade war escalates: who will win?

Thousands of jobs in the steel and auto sectors are on the chopping block, with layoffs planned at Stelco and Stellantis. This poses the question: how can we actually save jobs?This week, Joel is joined by Marco La Grotta discuss the jobs apocalypse facing workers in Ontario, and the socialist solution to the job losses.📖 Recommended reading:Stelco layoffs: How capitalism is gutting Canadian steelThe Communist Program to combat the crisisHoudaille 1980: when Ontario auto workers occupied the plants🗞️Get the latest issue of Communist RevolutionPRE-ORDER “The Myths of Canadian Confederation”🫵 Join the Revolutionary Communist Party📰Subscribe to Communist Revolution, the official newspaper of the RCP▶️YouTube📱Apple Podcasts📸 Instagram💬X💻FacebookListen wherever you get your podcastsRecorded on Novemeber 12, 2026.

This week, Joel and Marco discuss the recent municipal elections in Toronto where Olivia Chow has been re-elected and Vancouver where a layer of democratic socialists has broken through. What do Communists think of this?📖 Recommended reading:Toronto: Is Chow’s re-election a victory for workers? https://www.marxist.ca/article/toronto-is-chows-re-election-a-victory-for-workersKen Sim gets evicted as democratic socialists make a breakthrough in Vancouver https://www.marxist.ca/article/ken-sim-gets-evicted-as-democratic-socialists-make-a-breakthrough-in-vancouverTo evict Ken Sim, fight for socialism https://www.marxist.ca/article/to-evict-ken-sim-fight-for-socialismBerlin: majority want expropriation of real estate companies https://marxist.com/berlin-majority-want-expropriation-of-real-estate-companies.htm🚩 Register for the Montreal Marxist Winter School: https://www.marxist.ca/school🫵 Join the Revolutionary Communist Party - https://www.marxist.ca/join📰Subscribe to Communist Revolution, the official newspaper of the RCP - http://marxist.ca/subscribe🎧 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/5YkyZGl...📱 Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/ie/podcast...📸 Instagram: / classline.pod 💬 X: https://x.com/CanadaMarxists💻Facebook: / canadamarxists Listen wherever you get your podcasts: https://pod.link/aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy8xMGRlNmJjNTgvcG9kY2FzdC9yc3M?view=apps&sort=popularityRecorded on October 29, 2026.

Millions of Canadians are wondering if Canada will join the European Union, and if this will save the country. This week, Josie Seaton is joined by Marco La Grotta to discuss Carney's scheme, the real situation in Europe, and why Europe does show Canada's future—but not in the way Carney hopes. 📖 Recommended reading:Canada, Europe, and the fantasy of a middle powers allianceThe existential crisis of European capitalismStelco layoffs: How capitalism is gutting Canadian steelFrance: ‘Generation 6-7 doing May ‘68 all over again’Spain: Sánchez calls early elections—the streets demand a general strike🚩 Register for the Montreal Marxist Winter School📰Subscribe to Communist Revolution, the official newspaper of the RCP🫵 Join the Revolutionary Communist Party▶️YouTube📱Apple Podcasts📸 Instagram💬X💻FacebookListen wherever you get your podcastsRecorded on October 16, 2026.

With separation polling at around 25 per cent, the labour leaders and the NDP in Alberta have entered into an unholy alliance with hated establishment conservatives and CEOs to try to stop it. This week, Joel is joined by Laine Sheldon Houle to discuss why this is a mistaken approach to fighting right populism, and what Communists propose instead.📖 Recommended reading:Uniting with business won’t defeat Alberta separatismThe oil barons and everybody else: A tale of two AlbertasAlberta separatism: What does it mean?The working class response to Smith’s referendumWhy would Alberta separate?🚩 Register for the Toronto School of Communism🫵 Join the Revolutionary Communist Party📰Subscribe to Communist Revolution, the official newspaper of the RCP▶️YouTube📱Apple Podcasts📸 Instagram💬X💻FacebookListen wherever you get your podcastsRecorded on October 1, 2026.

This week, Joel is joined by Matt Kneller, a central committee member and leading activist with the RCP in Vancouver to discuss the meltdown in the BC Conservative party, what it means and how to fight against right-wing populism. 📖 Recommended reading:The meaning of the B.C. Conservative meltdownAmazon desperate to crush union at B.C. warehouseB.C. condo developers handed $3.2b bailout: Expropriate the parasites!🚩Register for the Vancouver School of Communism📰Subscribe to Communist Revolution, the official newspaper of the RCP🫵 Join the Revolutionary Communist Party▶️YouTube📱Apple Podcasts📸 Instagram💬X💻FacebookListen wherever you get your podcastsRecorded on September 17, 2026.

As people in Quebec head to the polls this October, they face no real options: the four main parties all promise to make workers pay, while making everything easier for the rich.This week, Joel is joined by Hélène Bissonnette, a leading member of the RCP in Quebec, to discuss the Communist analysis of the Quebec election.📖 Recommended reading:Editorial on the Quebec electionSubscribe to Révolution communisteListen to our sister podcast, Parti pris🫵 Join the Revolutionary Communist Party📰Subscribe to Communist Revolution, the official newspaper of the RCP▶️YouTube📱Apple Podcasts📸 Instagram💬X💻FacebookListen wherever you get your podcastsRecorded on September 3, 2026.

This week on The Class Line, Joel is joined by Marco La Grotta to discuss the recent breakdown in trade negotiations between the United States and Canada, the effects this is having on Canadian politics, and the Communist response to the trade war. 📖 Recommended reading:For a working class response to the trade warCatch up on the World School of CommunismCommunist Revolution #28🚩Register for the Toronto School of Communism🫵 Join the Revolutionary Communist Party📰Subscribe to Communist Revolution, the official newspaper of the RCP▶️YouTube📱Apple Podcasts📸 Instagram💬X💻FacebookListen wherever you get your podcastsRecorded on August 27, 2026.

The rush for AI data centres has come to Canada. Carney, through his “AI for all” strategy is trying to convince us that this will benefit all of us. But the fact is that AI under capitalism will mean profits for a few while the rest of us suffer. This week on the Class Line, Joel is joined by Josie Seaton to discuss what Communists think about the mad dash to build data centres.Communist Revolution #27📖 Recommended reading:Carney’s ‘AI for All’ means profits for a fewCanada’s secret deal with Sauron🌐🚩Register for the World School of Communism 2026🫵 Join the Revolutionary Communist Party📰Subscribe to Communist Revolution, the newspaper of the RCP▶️YouTube📱Apple Podcasts📸 Instagram💬X💻Facebook Listen wherever you get your podcastsRecorded on July 23, 2026.

The government has announced not one, but two pipelines. They claim this will benefit all of us, but the truth is that the public will fund it while the profits remain private. This is another example of socialism for the rich and capitalism for the poor. This week, Joel is joined by Marco La Grotta to discuss the two recent pipelines that were announced and what Communists think about this. 📖 Recommended reading:Workers will foot the bill for Smith and Carney’s new pipelineIs this ‘Canada working’? The Carney-Smith pipeline dealNo to Kinder Morgan bailout! Expropriate the oil industry!🌐🚩Register for the World School of Communism 2026🫵 Join the Revolutionary Communist Party📰Subscribe to Communist Revolution, the newspaper of the RCP▶️YouTube📱Apple Podcasts📸 Instagram💬X💻FacebookNew episodes of The Class Line every Friday.Listen wherever you get your podcastsRecorded on July 10, 2026.

When Carney was elected, he said he would build thousands of affordable homes. Instead, he’s bailing out developers. This week on the Class Line, Joel is joined by Communist Revolution/Révolution communiste editor Benoît Tanguay to discuss the real reason housing is unaffordable, and how communists would solve this problem. 📖 Recommended reading:Why Canada’s ruling class won’t solve the housing crisisB.C. condo developers handed $3.2b bailout: Expropriate the parasites!Thousands of empty condos amid a housing crisisOntario: Developer bailout disguised as rental housing🌐🚩Register for the World School of Communism 2026🫵 Join the Revolutionary Communist Party📰Spotify to Communist Revolution, the newspaper of the RCP▶️YouTube📱Apple Podcasts📸 Instagram💬X💻FacebookNew episodes of The Class Line every Friday.Listen wherever you get your podcastsRecorded on July 2, 2026.