The declining economy and its effects on manufacturing is a big
issue in Etobicoke-Lakeshore in this election. Throughout the south end
of the riding are families who rely on work in the manufacturing sector
for their livelihoods. Canada’s manufacturing industry is in free-fall
and Stephen Harper hasn’t reacted at all.
The riding has lost more than 1,000 manufacturing jobs in recent years with the closure of local production lines for Stackpole Limited, auto parts maker Arvin Meritor, Alberto Culver and Chrysler’s casting plant on Brown’s Line., Owens-Illinois created another 430 lost jobs when it closed its glass recycling plant on Kipling Avenue at the end of the summer. Across the riding the loss of manufacturing jobs can be seen in other areas as For Lease signs have begun to appear in alarming numbers across the main streets.
New Democrat leader Jack Layton set out a prudent, responsible, step-by-step plan to strengthen and renew Canadian manufacturing through smart investment, stimulating innovation and fairer trade policies.
“It’s time we had a Prime Minister who’ll fight for working families. The manufacturing sector has been hit hard,” said Layton outside General Motors in Oshawa last month. “Jobs are disappearing overseas. Harper is doing nothing, and proposes to do nothing some more. Working families are the last priority of Stephen Harper.”
Standing with New Democrat candidate Mike Shields, former President of Canadian Auto Workers local 222, Layton announced a commit of an average of $2 billion a year to directly create 40,000 new manufacturing jobs and thousands of spin-off jobs while protecting many more.
If elected the New Democrats would:
* Stop
unproductive, untargeted and fiscally irresponsible corporate tax cuts,
and target investments instead to stimulate innovation
* Invest in low-emission vehicle production
* Train new and displaced workers through a Green Collar Jobs Fund
* Create a Jobs Commissioner to investigate shutdowns
* Develop sector-based industrial strategies
* Stop the export of Canadian jobs overseas through new,
manufacturing-friendly trade policies while adopting a Made-in-Canada
procurement policy for the federal government and its agencies.
By voting for the NDP you are giving a clear message to the federal government that you want manufacturing jobs to be protected and developed in our community. You are telling Stephen Harper and the Conservative that tax cuts for big businesses are not good for local smaller manufacturers and are demanding that some action be taken.
Support jobs in your own community. Vote for Liam McHugh-Russell.