Thread: McGuinty wants Harper to push Obama on autos, environment, b

Wed, February 18, 2009
McGuinty wants Harper to push Obama on autos, environment, border security
UPDATED: 2009-02-18 08:49:24 MST


By THE CANADIAN PRESS

TORONTO — Ontario wants Prime Minister Stephen Harper to use U.S. President Barack Obama’s visit to press for Canada’s share of auto sector jobs.

Premier Dalton McGuinty says he wants Harper to make it clear to Obama that Canada is willing to do its share financially to maintain Canadian auto sector jobs, most of which are in Ontario.

He says it’s a fully integrated North American industry and the fates of the two countries are intertwined when it comes to the future of the sector.

McGuinty says he’s also concerned about Obama’s call for a review of Canada-U.S. border security, although he could provide no specifics.

And McGuinty says Canada should press Obama for a continental cap and trade system for greenhouse gas emissions rather than see Washington develop a policy on its own.


However, McGuinty admitted he didn’t ask Harper to raise those issues with Obama when he met the prime minister in Toronto on Tuesday.
http://calsun.canoe.ca/News/National/20 ... 33736.html

Let's talk autos, border, climate: McGuinty

KAREN HOWLETT

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Toronto — Three topics should be on the table when U.S. President Barack Obama embarks on his first foreign visit: the embattled auto sector, border security and climate change, says Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty.

He is calling on Prime Minister Stephen Harper to impress upon Mr. Obama during their meeting in Ottawa tomorrow that the operations of the Detroit Three auto makers are fully integrated in North America.

"Our fates are truly intertwined when it comes to the future of the sector," Mr. McGuinty told reporters today.

He is also asking Mr. Harper to address two other topics that appear to be high on Mr. Obama's agenda, including his request for a review of security standards between Canada and the United States and his push to pursue a carbon trading policy - also known as cap and trade - that would allow polluters to buy and sell credits according to their ability to meet emission-reduction targets.

Any changes to the border Canada shares with the United States must strike a balance between maintaining security and allowing for the easy passage of goods and people, Mr. McGuinty said. Michigan alone has 221,000 residents whose jobs depend on trade with Ontario, he added.

"There is no greater trade linkage between any two countries on the face of the earth than those to be found between Canada and the United States," he said. "My concern right now is where do they plan to go next. We're going to keep a close eye on it."

Mr. McGuinty is also calling on Mr. Harper to develop a cap-and-trade system for Canada together with the United States. Ontario has embarked on its own initiative on this front with Quebec.

The massive restructuring plans General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC presented to Washington on Tuesday evening appear "at first blush" to spell relatively good news for the faltering auto companies' Canadian operations, Mr. McGuinty said. While General Motors is slashing its global work force by 47,000 jobs and Chrysler is axing another 3,000 jobs in the United States, the plans do not disclose any further cuts in Canada.

But it's still early days, Mr. McGuinty said. "The fact is the industry is still not in a state where it is improving. The market has not yet begun to turn around."

General Motors and Chrysler will present plans for restructuring their Canadian operations to the federal and Ontario governments on Friday. Mr. McGuinty has acknowledged that there will be further job cuts in the Canadian plants; the federal and Ontario governments are seeking to do everything they can to preserve Canada's proportional share of the Detroit Three's North American auto production.

"The only pitch I am making to U.S. decision makers is, 'we are part of the solution. We want to find a way to help you,'" he said.

Being part of the solution will almost certainly involve Canada putting up 20 per cent of the additional $19-billion (U.S.) that General Motors and Chrysler are seeking to stay afloat.

"We know that there are going to be more asks involved, and we know we have to do more to help support the sector," Mr. McGuinty said.

The federal and Ontario governments have agreed to lend Chrysler Canada Inc. $1-billion (Canadian) to help it weather the storm, but the terms of that deal have not been finalized.

General Motors of Canada Ltd. has been offered $3-billion, but said it no longer needs the money immediately.

Mr. McGuinty came under attack from both the Progressive Conservatives and the New Democrats in Question Period for the thousands of job losses in the province's manufacturing heartland.

"When will you take your responsibility seriously and try to stop the massive job losses in the province?" asked New Democrat MPP Gilles Bisson.

What's at stake here are 400,000 jobs in Ontario's auto sector, Mr. McGuinty responded in Question Period. "We are prepared to put forward $4-billion in initial support. We expect the auto sector to bring something to the table."

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