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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1987-10-21, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1987. Free Trade or no Free Trade, auto pact needs changing BY RAYMOND CANON 1 don’t know why it is but a great many people have been going around braying about the untouch­ able nature of the auto pact between Canada and the United States. Premier Peterson, who should know better, has been responsible for a great deal of this near hysteria but I suppose that his outbursts can be put down to the recent provincial election and the need to find a few emotional issues that would appeal to the public. TheCanadian Auto Workers union has not been far behind but like most unions, the CAW tends to look only at its own interests and ignore those of the province or country. Frankly itisabout time that, free TRINA JOAN WATTS Trina Joan Watts graduated from Seneca College of Applied Arts and Technology, King City, in Early Childhood Education in trade agreement or no free trade agreement, we sat down and put our minds to the task of revising the auto pact in order to bring it up to date. Leaving itas it is is akin to the plight of the ostrich who opts for sticking his head in the sand whenever anything appears on the horizon which can be construed as being of a threatening nature. Let’s take a look at the reasons for an immediate re-examination of the auto pact. For openers it was put together in the 1960’s and its contents, while admirable at the time, were geared solely for a market where there was a mini­ mum of foreign competition pre­ sent. Whattherewas, mainlyinthe form of Volkswagen cars, was not considered, and probably rightly so, as a real threat to the supremacy of North American car manufacturers who could pretty well dictate to the public both price 'and style. As we are all well aware, the situation has changed dramatically in the 1980’s. Now foreign compe­ tition has taken up over 30 per cent of the market and shows no sign of abating. Furthermore, all the big three have shares in foreign car companies and, to top it all off, General Motors is building a plant at Ingersoll which will be the first example of a joint venture with a Japanese company. That alone is enough to make everybody pause for a moment, go over the pact as it stands and see how well it will suit us in the years to come. That, however, is not all. Right now it is not hard to get the feeling that the auto parts manufacturers in Canada are getting the same threatened feeling that the car manufacturers did back in the 1950’s and early 1960’s. Given that so many foreign cars are flooding into the country, we should sit down to see what we can do for these people just as we did in the 1960’s. After all, the parts produ­ cers are mainly Canadian in origin and, if we owe something to GM. Ford and Chrysler, we owe some­ thing to our own people, David Peterson, Bob White et al to the contrary. Finally, we really have a game with two sets of rules. On the one hand there are the North American manufacturers for whom the auto pact was designed. Then there are the foreign manufacturers who have found it convenient to set up shop here to get better access to the Canadian and American market. What can we do to the auto pact to make sure that everybody is playing the same game for the rest of the century. I should point out in passing that these remaining years are going to be marked by one of overcapacity and this, even if one does not take into consideration the CAMI plant in Ingersoll. Will the auto pact stand up to the strains of all this competition? We don’t know and we will continue not to know if we persist in maintaining the hands- off policy advocated by David Peterson and CAW President Bob White. I happen to think that both men are intelligent enough to see reality staring them in the face, politics or no politics. I hope that, even if the free trade agreement break down, we can have a real hard look at the possibility of improving the pact. After all, this time the Americans and the Canadians are more or less on the same side. East Wawanosh man faces narcotics charge RR 3, Wingham, was charged as the result of an investigation by members of the Wingham Detach­ ment of the Ontario Provincial Police on September 30. The narcotic was found at Mr. Gibson’s East Wawanosh resi­ dence. DARRIN EARL WATTS Darrin Earl Watts graduated in Funeral Service from Humber College of Applied Arts and Technology, Toronto in June. He is presently employed at the “Eglin- . June. She is presently employed at ton Chapel” of Brown Brothers Matthew John Day Care Centre, Funeral Home, Toronto. He is the Toronto. She is the daughter of son of Max and Barbara Watts, Brussels. Max and Barbara Watts, Brussels. MONEY This is a once in a lifetime sale •RANGES AS LOW AS •FRIDGES AS LOW AS •MICROWAVES •DISHWASHERS ¥The Appliance & Microwave Specialist 34 Years of Experience RR 2, Listowel [519] 291-3810 Thurs. & Fri. 9a.m. -9p.m. AS LOW AS 279 Country Club JUSTEAST0FVANEGM0ND HOUSE R.R.#4,SEAFORTH 527-0985 •Microwaves •Appliances •TVs •Stereos •VCRs AS LOW AS Also see our great savings on TVs, VCRs & Stereos b Seaforth Golf Golfing weather ahead This is a perfect time to purchase new goH clubs, so you can get the feel of them this fall. When spring comes you’ll be all set to play better golf. 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