XPost: can.politics, ont.politics, tor.general   
   From: gregcarrsober@gmail.com   
      
   On 01/02/2014 5:56 PM, ConɀƦConɀ wrote:   
   > NO government has done as much damage to the economy of Ontario than the   
   > current federal government of Stephen Harper.   
   > His never-ending list of 'free trade' deals has either sold out   
   > resources to foreign countries, exported huge job numbers to low-wage   
   > countries, or in this case: is allowing competitive products into Canada   
   > without making sure that Canada has equal access to the markets of those   
   > foreign countries.   
   >   
   > The man is a walking rightwing disaster for Canada and Canadian workers.   
   > Work hard to make sure he doesn't survive to do it all over again after   
   > the election in 2015. Hang in there for Ontario, Kathleen Wynne.   
   > ________________________________________________   
   >   
   >   
   > Globe and Mail - January 31, 2014   
   >   
   >   
   > Ontario demands relief in South Korea free-trade pact   
   >   
   >   
   > Province wants federal government to do more to protect auto makers,   
   > arguing the deal as it currently stands would 'negatively impact' the   
   > industry in the province   
   >   
   > Ontario is demanding the federal government do more to protect auto   
   > makers in a new free-trade agreement with South Korea, arguing the deal   
   > as it currently stands would "negatively impact" the industry in the   
   > province.   
   >   
   > Economic Development Minister Eric Hoskins says he wants Ottawa to   
   > secure protections similar to ones the United States received in its own   
   > deal with South Korea in 2011.   
   >   
   > "This free-trade agreement, as negotiated by the federal government, may   
   > not be good for the auto sector, may actually be quite challenging and   
   > problematic and negatively impact the sector in Ontario and Canada," he   
   > said in an interview Thursday. "If Michigan was important enough for the   
   > Americans, then Ontario should be that important to Harper and the   
   > federal government as well."   
   >   
   > The wide-ranging agreement would see Canada phase out its tariffs in   
   > exchange for South Korea doing the same. This would help some Canadian   
   > businesses – particularly pork and beef exporters – while allowing South   
   > Korean auto makers even greater access to the Canadian market.   
   >   
   > Mr. Hoskins said he has no problem with getting rid of the auto tariffs,   
   > but he wants guarantees Seoul will not slap other barriers on Canadian   
   > vehicles, such as additional taxes.   
   >   
   > To make sure they do not do this, Mr. Hoskins wants tariffs phased out   
   > over a five-year period and a "snap-back" provision that would allow   
   > Canada to raise its tariffs back up if South Korea puts any barriers in   
   > place.   
   >   
   > Sources familiar with the talks said one proposal on the table in   
   > current negotiations calls for tariffs to be phased out over a period   
   > shorter than five years.   
   >   
   > A spokesman for federal International Trade Minister Ed Fast said Canada   
   > will only approve a deal if it contains "tools" to stop South Korea from   
   > imposing non-tariff barriers. He would not comment on the specific   
   > measures Mr. Hoskins is asking for.   
   >   
   > "We will only sign an agreement that's in the best interest of   
   > hard-working Canadians including through the elimination of Korean   
   > tariffs and creation of effective tools to counter non-tariff barriers   
   > to trade," Rudy Husny wrote in an e-mail.   
   >   
   > Auto makers have difficulty believing South Korea will eliminate or   
   > reduce its non-tariff barriers in part because of actions that country   
   > took after free-trade agreements with Europe and the United States came   
   > into effect.   
   >   
   > The offices of the top five import brands were raided by officials from   
   > the Korea Fair Trade Commission earlier this year after their sales of   
   > vehicles made outside South Korea rose to 10 per cent of the market. The   
   > South Korean offices of BMW AG, Toyota Motor Co., Audi AG, Volkswagen AG   
   > and the Mercedes-Benz division of Daimler AG were raided.   
   >   
   > Officials from the Detroit Three auto makers have complained that South   
   > Korean tax authorities launch audits of South Koreans who buy imported   
   > cars, but it's not clear if that practice still persists.   
   >   
   > Ford Motor Co. of Canada Ltd. president Dianne Craig has publicly spoken   
   > out against the free-trade deal as it currently stands, and auto   
   > workers' union Unifor has also raised concerns. Mr. Hoskins said he   
   > spoke with Chrysler group chairman Sergio Marchionne at length about the   
   > deal when the pair met at the Detroit Auto Show.   
   >   
   > That Ontario is lining up behind auto makers is no surprise: On top of   
   > the 93,000 jobs it estimates the sector has in the province, Queen's   
   > Park has recently been trying to land more investment from them, as it   
   > competes with U.S. states and Mexico, and has strong reasons to support   
   > the car companies.   
   >   
   > Canada's automotive imports from South Korea totalled $2.6-billion in   
   > 2012, while exports amounted to just $12.5-million.   
   >   
   > Both Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. and Kia Canada Inc., the two South   
   > Korean-based auto makers that sell vehicles in Canada, reduced their   
   > imports of finished vehicles from that country last year. But their   
   > imports exceeded 100,000 vehicles.   
   >   
   >   
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   >   
   >   
   > “It is horrifying that we have to fight our own government to save the   
   > environment.” ― Ansel Adams   
   >   
   > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
   >   
   I hope Harper and Company aren't so cynical as too deride the 93k auto   
   workers as NDP Oshawa/Windsor types. They need to stay on top of this.   
      
   --   
   *Read and obey the Bible*   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)