Singh makes Windsor campaign stop with plan to protect auto sector

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New Democratic leader Jagmeet Singh’s plan to help the auto industry during the U.S. trade war includes killing the GST of Canadian-made cars and making it illegal to transfer equipment from Canadian plants to the U.S.

During a campaign in Windsor on Thursday, Singh also said the NDP government would increase job insurance, ensure that the federal government only buys Canadian-made vehicles and ban companies without footprints from selling here.

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“Describe what happened when Donald Trump stabbed us in the back in the back,” said Singer, who grew up in Windsor. “Canadians are angry, but the people in Windsor are angry. It feels like betrayal, absolutely no reason.”

Singh said he changed his campaign to park in Windsor, the Canadian auto capital, after U.S. President Donald Trump escalated his trade war on Wednesday.

Starting April 3, Trump said the United States will impose a 25-dollar tariff on all completed vehicles.

“We have to talk to workers in our automotive capital about the devastating impact,” Singh told reporters. “From a perspective, there are thousands of jobs under threat. In Windsor, Essex and surrounding areas, there are a lot of workers who want to know what will happen now.”

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NDP candidates from London West’s Shinade Allder and Windsor West’s Brian Masse took part in the Windsor Tour.

Singh met with union leaders at Unifor Local 200 and 444 headquarters on Turner Road before heading to Windsor Parliamentary Factory to greet workers during shift changes.

Although many Windsor parliamentary factories shook hands and seemed happy to see him, Singer also heard ridicule from some automated workers, including a few who repeatedly shouted “Trump, Trump” and stated their support for the U.S. president.

Singh told reporters that if the auto companies decide to hand over all their business to the United States due to tariffs, the New Democratic government will ensure they do so without equipment in their Canadian factories.

“We have invested in this equipment in our country, and we have invested a lot in the automotive sector,” he said. “I don’t want anyone in the automotive industry in each state to think they can now spin off these plants of these equipment. We will use all possible tools to make bringing that equipment out of our country.”

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Unifor Local 200 President John D’Agnolo, one of several union leaders who met with Singh, said that even without federal authorization, the equipment would not go anywhere.

“We don’t allow machines to leave,” he said. “We are a union. We create these jobs. Talk about quality and productivity. Talk about 100 years we’ve been here. We’re angry, not a minute, and we’re going to allow that to happen.”

Singh also assured that the NDP will only buy Canadian-made vehicles for federal fleets such as the RCMP and Canada Post, and “incentive” citizens to buy Canadian-made cars by abandoning GST.

He also promised to ban any company that has its Canadian stake from selling products here.

“Although these tariffs are in place, if there is no footprint in Canada, no company thinks they can sell in Canada,” he said. “If they get out of the footprint, if they don’t create jobs here, then they won’t sell in our country.”

twilhelm@postmedia.com

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