OTTAWA — With China crippling Canada’s canola industry with punishing retaliatory tariffs, a majority of Canadians say Canada should cut levies on Chinese-made electric vehicles to give producers a break.

But those in Canada’s automotive industry say such a move would be devastating to both carmakers and national security.

An Angus Reid poll released Thursday show 57% of those polls want the 100% tariff placed on Chinese EVs reduced in order to secure lower canola tariffs, while only 24% said Canada should stand firm, and 19% offering no opinion.

Those trends continued across party lines — 67% of NDP supporters wanted the tariffs lowered, 64% Liberal, 53% Bloc Quebecois and 52% Conservatives.

Support for keeping the levies as-is were strongest among BQ (33%) and Tory (32%) supporters

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