automobile

Tuesday November 27, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday November 27, 2018

USMCA not to blame for GM plant closures, but it’s killing all hope of exporting from North America

U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade policies were likely just one factor among many that contributed to General Motors’ decision to shutter multiple plants in the U.S. and one in Oshawa in Ontario, analysts say.

April 29, 2009

But the closures will undoubtedly sharpen scrutiny of the White House’s “America First” trade agenda — a strategy aimed at preserving jobs in traditional industries through controversial measures including steel and aluminum tariffs that have ultimately squeezed automakers, analysts say.

“Only a few months ago GM said that the Trump tariffs were costing a billion dollars but they were going to wait until after the mid-term elections to take action,” said Dennis DesRosiers, president of DesRosiersAutomotive Consultants. “It is now past the elections and they are taking action. Partial blame for this goes to Trump and his isolationist policies. It is much bigger than U.S. politics, but it certainly is part of the issue.”

January 13, 2009

GM will shutter its factory in Oshawa as part of a global restructuring as the company shifts to manufacturing electric and autonomous vehicles. The move will see 2,973 jobs cut by the end of 2019 at the Oshawa plant, which has been in operation since 1953. The Detroit firm will also slash a total of 6,705 jobs at plants located in Warren, Ohio; White Marsh, Md; and two facilities in Michigan.

Other Canadian manufacturing facilities in St. Catharines and Ingersoll, Ont. will not be affected.

“Trade headwinds” and, in particular, Trump’s tariffs of 25 per cent on imported steel and 10 per cent on aluminum, have also been identified as a key business challenge by more than one automaker as they attempt to make difficult transitions in their product lines and operations. In September, executives at Ford Motor Co. blamed the tariffs for taking US$1 billion out of company profits. (Source: Financial Post) 

 

Thursday April 5, 2018

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Thursday April 5, 2018

Rolling back vehicle emission standards in U.S. will affect Canada

March 8, 2017

Canada will have to decide what to do in light of the U.S. decision to ease emissions standards for cars and trucks. In 2014, Canada and the United States jointly adopted rules to radically increase fuel efficiency of the vehicles destined to be sold between 2022 and 2025.

On April 2, 2018, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said a timeline that was put in place by the previous Obama administration set standards too high and it will be changed. At the same time, the state of California has the right and is expected to keep to the tougher standards.

November 23, 2016

This will oblige the Canadian government to decide which stand to take.  Looser standards would make it more difficult for both countries to meet commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as promised in the 2015 Paris Agreement to fight climate change. But they would reduce the need for car makers to produce more electric vehicles easing pressure on them.

Canada’s environment minister has in the past said that reducing gasoline consumption is a key element in efforts to reduce this country’s emissions by 30 per cent from 2005 levels by the year 2030. (Source: CBC News) 

Published in the Welland Tribune

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Wednesday September 23, 2015

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator - Wednesday September 23, 2015 This is the refugee debate we ought to be having Dieter Zetsche surprised attendees of the Frankfurt auto show recently when he interrupted a presentation to opine on the 800,000 Syrian refugees that are expected to flood into Germany this year. The mustachioed chairman of Daimler AG, which makes Mercedes luxury cars, suggested the influx of asylum seekers could Òhelp foster another economic miracleÓ by offsetting the challenges posed by the countryÕs rapidly aging population. Zetsche went on to say the carmaker would help pay for housing for migrants in Stuttgart, while rival Volkswagen, not to be outdone, said it would find them trainee jobs. In Canada, by contrast, politicians have failed to draw a similar link between accepting large numbers of Syrian refugees and the potential for future economic growth, despite being in the midst of a federal election where economic matters are said to be top of mind among voters. Instead, the debate is focused narrowly on the need to balance humanitarian assistance with national security concernsÑnot that the number being talked about would have much of an economic impact anyway. The Harper governmentÕs promise to take another look at its policy, following significant public outcry, only resulted in a commitment to speed up by 15 months the resettlement of 10,000 Syrians, not accept more of them. Meanwhile, Tom MulcairÕs NDP has proposed bringing 10,000 refugees into the country by the end of this year, while Justin TrudeauÕs Liberals have promised to bring in 25,000 by January. It all raises an obvious question: Are we not only missing out on the chance to help those in desperate need, but a historic economic opportunity, too? (Continued: MacLeans) http://www.macleans.ca/economy/economicanalysis/this-is-the-refugee-debate-we-ought-to-be-having/ Germany, migrants, refugees, Syria, Europe, Volkswagen, automobile, emissions, stan

By Graeme MacKay, Editorial Cartoonist, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday September 23, 2015

This is the refugee debate we ought to be having

Dieter Zetsche surprised attendees of the Frankfurt auto show recently when he interrupted a presentation to opine on the 800,000 Syrian refugees that are expected to flood into Germany this year. The mustachioed chairman of Daimler AG, which makes Mercedes luxury cars, suggested the influx of asylum seekers could “help foster another economic miracle” by offsetting the challenges posed by the country’s rapidly aging population. Zetsche went on to say the carmaker would help pay for housing for migrants in Stuttgart, while rival Volkswagen, not to be outdone, said it would find them trainee jobs.

In Canada, by contrast, politicians have failed to draw a similar link between accepting large numbers of Syrian refugees and the potential for future economic growth, despite being in the midst of a federal election where economic matters are said to be top of mind among voters.

Instead, the debate is focused narrowly on the need to balance humanitarian assistance with national security concerns—not that the number being talked about would have much of an economic impact anyway. The Harper government’s promise to take another look at its policy, following significant public outcry, only resulted in a commitment to speed up by 15 months the resettlement of 10,000 Syrians, not accept more of them. Meanwhile, Tom Mulcair’s NDP has proposed bringing 10,000 refugees into the country by the end of this year, while Justin Trudeau’s Liberals have promised to bring in 25,000 by January.

It all raises an obvious question: Are we not only missing out on the chance to help those in desperate need, but a historic economic opportunity, too? (Continued: MacLeans)