Canadian Political Polls

[M.Dancer]

Each of the big 3 are in different positions. Unfortunately for all of them, if one goes under, then they'll all go under because it will bankrupt many of their suppliers.

Such is life....or a should say, such is business.

[Vancouver King]

Each of the big 3 are in different positions. Unfortunately for all of them, if one goes under, then they'll all go under because it will bankrupt many of their suppliers.

Not sure if Chrysler's ultimatum of taking it's marbles over the border if no Canadian bailout is particularily helpful in view of above poll. An analyst on BNN today says bailout is cash flushed away as all companies will close operations here in favor of low cost Mexican assembly within a decade.

[blueblood]

Not sure if Chrysler's ultimatum of taking it's marbles over the border if no Canadian bailout is particularily helpful in view of above poll. An analyst on BNN today says bailout is cash flushed away as all companies will close operations here in favor of low cost Mexican assembly within a decade.

Which is why if we should bail out these dinosaurs, there should be some caveats placed on them. Such as the caveat involving no use of corporate jets.

[Mr.Canada]

I think Canada should design it's own car and car company. WHy can't Canada design and electric car or some such?

We are the only G7 nation that doesn't have a national auto maker.

The time has come for Canada to take a leading role.

[M.Dancer]

I think Canada should design it's own car and car company. WHy can't Canada design and electric car or some such?

We are the only G7 nation that doesn't have a national auto maker.

The time has come for Canada to take a leading role.

The UK no longer has any UK owned car companies.

[Mr.Canada]

The UK no longer has any UK owned car companies.

Knock it off, you know what I mean Dancer.

Doesn't make my idea of a Canadian owned and built auto and automaker bad.

[punked]

Knock it off, you know what I mean Dancer.

Doesn't make my idea of a Canadian owned and built auto and automaker bad.

You start it up cause our government is trying to sell off Canadian assets not build them up.

[Mr.Canada]

You start it up cause our government is trying to sell off Canadian assets not build them up.

I'm a mouthpiece not an Engineer

[M.Dancer]

Knock it off, you know what I mean Dancer.

Doesn't make my idea of a Canadian owned and built auto and automaker bad.

No not bad, just not feasable, just ask the Brits...

[Bryan]

I think Canada should design it's own car and car company. WHy can't Canada design and electric car or some such?

We are the only G7 nation that doesn't have a national auto maker.

The time has come for Canada to take a leading role.

We have one, although it's still getting off the ground at this time (and working out that pesky battery issue):

http://www.zenncars.com/

Perhaps instead of bailing out the big 3, that money should go into an R&D fund for companies like ZENN.

Edited December 10, 2008 by Bryan

[M.Dancer]

Perhaps instead of bailing out the big 3, that money should go into an R&D fund for companies like ZENN.

That's what venture cap and stock issues are for....

The Zen would be fine for some gulf coast comminities where they allow golf carts on the roads but at 25 mph top speed it's not even pratical for a city, let alone a Canadian city with a Canadian winter (there is that pesky problem of heating when the sole power source is a battery that also has to power the drive train, in a conventional car, heat is a by product.).

[AngusThermopyle]

I think Canada should design it's own car and car company.

We already did that, it was a miserable failure.

Although designed by an American the Bricklin is widely considered to be a Canadian car.

Quite An Interesting Story

[Jerry J. Fortin]

I will suggest that the government be very careful in making this decision. Its tax dollars we are talking about spending, and we know who pays those.

[capricorn]

Seeing as all the taxes presently paid by taxpayers are already earmarked for specific programs and the treasury is running close to deficit, any bailout in any sector would result in increasing income tax. That's the reality.

[normanchateau]

If the December 9, 2008 Angus-Reid data hold up in subsequent polls, Ignatieff will pull votes away from Conservatives, NDP and Green voters.

"If a federal election were held tomorrow, which one of the following parties would you be most likely to support in your constituency?"

With Dion as Liberal leader:

Conservative 42%

Liberal 22%

NDP 18%

BQ 10%

Green 7%

Other 1%

With Ignatieff as Liberal leader:

Conservatives 38%

Liberals 33%

NDP 13%

BQ 10%

Green 6%

Other 1%

http://www.angus-reid.com/polls/view/32387...rals_in_canada/

Harper's blunder was the best Christmas gift he could have given the Liberals, advancing by five months the time, money, infighting and effort it would have taken for the Liberals to give the leadership inevitably to Ignatieff.

[Keepitsimple]

While my heart would love to see a Canadian car, as with Dancer....it's unfortunately not feasible. But there is a silver lining in our automotive problems. We have a wealth of skilled workers in Ontario that are very attractive to Japanese and Korean car companies. The succeses of Honda and Toyota can be multiplied with incentives to Nissan, Hyundai, and Kia to put plants in Canada as a North American beach-head. Not surprisingly, the unions will have to be excluded from these initiatives. It may take another 4 or 5 years but I'm hopeful that continuing expansion of non-union import plants will create many thousands of new jobs in Ontario - and in time, the American car-makers will re-structure and develop the right balance between disigning the right cars and providing a flexible workforce that can be properly incentified to allow workers to be the best that they can be. Unions can still play a valuable role but the mentality has to change from protecting every job and maximizing salary and benefits for everyone - regardless of their skill level - to working with companies and employees to provide meaningful careers where workers are compensated for their skill and productivity - not their senority.

Edited December 10, 2008 by Keepitsimple

[M.Dancer]

Should be noted that Toyota just opened their Woodstock plant last week. Better for the feds to invest in Toyota than to throw money down the hole at companies that will be dead in 10 years.

[punked]

While my heart would love to see a Canadian car, as with Dancer....it's unfortunately not feasible. But there is a silver lining in our automotive problems. We have a wealth of skilled workers in Ontario that are very attractive to Japanese and Korean car companies. The succeses of Honda and Toyota can be multiplied with incentives to Nissan, Hyundai, and Kia to put plants in Canada as a North American beach-head. Not surprisingly, the unions will have to be excluded from these initiatives. It may take another 4 or 5 years but I'm hopeful that coninuing expansion of non-union import plants will create many thousands of new jobs in Ontario - and in time, the American car-makers will re-structure and develop the right balance between disigning the right cars and providing a flexible workforce that can be properly incentified to allow workers to be the best that they can be. Unions can still play a valuable role but the mentality has to change from protecting every job and maximizing salary and benefits for everyone - regardless of their skill level - to working with companies and employees to provide meaningful careers where workers are compensated for their skill and productivity - not their senority.

Any skilled workers have the right to unionize. If a plant came here and the workers were not unionized with in a number of years they would be.

[OddSox]

Any skilled workers have the right to unionize. If a plant came here and the workers were not unionized with in a number of years they would be.

Umm, Honda has been building cars in Ontario since 1986, and Toyota since 1988. No unions yet...

[Jerry J. Fortin]

You can blame the unions all you want, or not. The sad reality is that the auto market is reliant upon good economies, not bad. Auto purchases are a very big ticket item, second only to mortgages and housing. Banks make lots of money on these items, so my question is why not let the banks with their billions of dollars of profits do the rescue or bailout packages? Would that not be a good investment for them, since they make a lot of money off car companies? If it isn't a good investment for them, how could it be a good investment for the tax paying citizen?

[punked]

Umm, Honda has been building cars in Ontario since 1986, and Toyota since 1988. No unions yet...

http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/345924

Anyone has the right to unionize I repeat.

[ToadBrother]

You can blame the unions all you want, or not. The sad reality is that the auto market is reliant upon good economies, not bad. Auto purchases are a very big ticket item, second only to mortgages and housing. Banks make lots of money on these items, so my question is why not let the banks with their billions of dollars of profits do the rescue or bailout packages? Would that not be a good investment for them, since they make a lot of money off car companies? If it isn't a good investment for them, how could it be a good investment for the tax paying citizen?

Because the evidence suggests that, despite large cash infusions, the banks are not keen to start lending again. This is the real problem with the American stimulus package, as one British newspaper said, the banks have stopped being banks.

We're in a paralysis mode right now. What the automakers basically want is money to pay the rent and stock the cupboards while they pray that this doesn't turn into a the New Depression that some economists are predicting.

[White Doors]

http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/345924

Anyone has the right to unionize I repeat.

of course they do, he was talking about the other part of your sentence, jackass

[M.Dancer]

http://www.thestar.com/Business/article/345924

Anyone has the right to unionize I repeat.

Indeed....and the unions keep losing although they keep trying.

Union backs out of vote at Cambridge Toyota plant

Chris Vander Doelen, Windsor Star

Published: Wednesday, March 19, 2008

The International Machinists have withdrawn their bid to hold a Thursday organizing vote at Toyota's Ontario Cambridge assembly plant after learning the work force is larger than they thought.

http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/news/sto...8f-543fdb2138aa

The thing is, the workers for the most part at Toyota's Cambridge plant have good working conditions good pay and responsive management. All they need do is compare their lot with their unionized breathren in Oakville, Windsor or Oshawa.

[ToadBrother]

The thing is, the workers for the most part at Toyota's Cambridge plant have good working conditions good pay and responsive management. All they need do is compare their lot with their unionized breathren in Oakville, Windsor or Oshawa.

They've got jobs. That's something that there fellow workers in the Big Three are not so sure of. Watching your neighbors' villages getting burned to the ground makes you somewhat more receptive.