SASKATOON– Ontario Premier Doug Ford is pledging that he and the rest of Canada’s premiers will do what Justin Trudeau has failed to do and fight for Canadian jobs.
In an exclusive interview with the Toronto Sun, Ford said he will join the rest of the premiers in fighting to get an exemption from American protectionist measures, saying the PM is letting workers down.
“Justin Trudeau has failed to represent this country, to represent the manufacturers of this nation and where he has failed, we have a powerhouse team sitting at that table of premiers that are going to jump up and fill that gap,” Ford said during a sit down on the sidelines of the annual meeting of Canada’s premiers.
“I’m very concerned about manufacturing jobs,” Ford said the day after 550 Bombardier rail workers in Thunder Bay and 87 workers in La Pocatiere, Que., were laid off.
The layoffs have several factors behind them but are primarily due to Buy America provisions enacted by former president Barack Obama and continued by President Donald Trump.
Under those provisions, any transit project that wants funding from Washington must ensure that 70% of the product is American made. Previously, that level was just 60%, but has been increasing and will hit the 70% threshold in January.
Bombardier says they simply can’t make rail cars in Canada and sell them to the United States with those requirements. Last fall, bus maker New Flyer out of Winnipeg announced it was moving jobs to Kentucky for the same reasons.
[…]
See Also:
(1) Ford pledges better vetting of government appointees
(2) Possible strike or lockout at major electricity supplier
(3) Cost to taxpayers of Ford government decision to cancel wind farm still unknown
