The Ontario Governments announcement that they are putting up 650 million dollars towards investment in green technology in Ontario’s auto industry is exactly the kind of commitment the manufacturing sector in Canada needs in to bring them into the 21st century market.
Dalton McGuinty visited General Motors assembly operations in Oshawa Ontario to make the pledge to all companies and suppliers in the industry. Grants from the fund will be available to these companies for investing in green tech and it couldn’t have come at a better time as the manufacturing sector in Canada has lost a quarter of a million jobs in the last 5 years.
The announcement comes on the heels of a campaign by the Canadian Auto Workers Union, lobbying all levels of government to step up to the plate for Canadian Workers and their families by investing in the manufacturing industry.
The pledge by the Ontario Liberals is a good first step towards bringing the issue to the attention of the federal government which has sat on their hands as they seem quite content to let Canada become a country with a non-renewable resource based economy. One day the oil sands will simply be sand and without a diverse economy, with a strong manufacturing base to fall back on, Canada will become a have not nation.
With the depletion of high paying manufacturing jobs in Ontario and Quebec the federal government will be forced to rely more and more on the revenue generated from the Alberta oil boom to support the rest of Canada’s health and social programs.
Trade policies that allow our manufacturing needs to flow to developing nations not only cost us economically but, allow corporations to operate their factories without the burdensome labour, health, safety and environmental laws of Canada.
We can invest in green technology and environmental safeguards all we want but, without the trade policies to back up those investments it will be money blown out the tailpipe of manufacturing jobs as they leave Canada.
Just like George Bush’s republicans to the south, which just inked a new trade deal with India, Prime Minister Steven Harper’s conservatives are representing the rights of transnational corporations well by engaging in free trade talks with South Korea.
Any manufactured goods being imported to Canada that have been produced using a larger environmental footprint than we regulate and invest in here in Canada, should be taxed on that larger footprint upon entering our market.
Your tax dollars are being invested in the environment by giving incentive to shareholders to invest in green technology. They know the time is coming anyway and this gives them incentive to jump off the fence as the grant money is only available for five years.
It’s time for the federal government to help protect and generate investment in Canadian manufacturing by re-negotiating our trade deals to include some environmental policy and level the playing field for Canadian workers.
Protect your investment and buy Canadian made products.
Jeff Armstrong is a freelance writer from Ontario. He has a labour studies certificate from McMaster University, he is a member of the CAW and a member of the Professional Writers Association of Canada. Jeff's interests include Occupational Health and Safety, the environment and the politics involved. Read other posts by Jeff Armstrong.
