The Canadian National Newspaper: Canada does not need GM, Ford, Chrysler or any other U.S. automaker for that matter

Canada does not need GM, Ford, Chrysler or any other U.S. automaker for that matter

General Motors of Canada had made an announcement stating the closure of a truck plant just two weeks after signing a collective agreement with the union, in which it said it would keep the plant, which employs 2,600 unionized workers, open until at least 2011.

However, rather than protesting closures of such plants, the CAW would be doing much more for Canadians, by championing their 'Canadianization'.

'Canadianization' was a term regularly used by former Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau, to describe the process of returning or taking under Canadian ownership, parts of the Canadian economy, when in U.S. or foreign ownership.

As Canadians, we have an inviolable right to own as much of our own economy as we seek, and our elected representatives have an obligation to protect our economy from ownership which is detrimental to our quality-of-living.

There is nothing wrong with a representative government seeking to 'protect' members of society from corporate predators pursuing an agenda of exploitation and oppression. The 'demonization' of "protectionism" is propaganda, orchestrated by elites who seek to legitimize, and to perpetrate exploitation and oppression, unencumbered by human rights laws.

GM and other such U.S. automakers that close down plants, in breach of legal collective bargaining agreements, and then create massive losses of jobs, are acting to the detriment of the quality-of-living of Canadians.

The 'Canadianization' of plants surrendered by GM in Canada, and other such U.S. automakers would therefore be timely and appropriate.

In championing 'Canadianization', the CAW would be advocating the taking of control both closed-down automobile and truck plants, into a consortium of Canadian owners, that in conducting their affairs fully within Canada, would be far more accountable to respecting Canadians laws, than U.S. corporations that are "creatures" of U.S. laws.

If Canadians could design the Avro Arrow in the late 1950's, as the most advanced supersonic jet for decades, then Canadians in 2008, could similarly develop and mass produce sophisticated environmentally-friendly cars and trucks, based upon Canadian ingenuity.

Canadians have the ingenuity, as a dynamic and multicultural society, with a cultural memory since the sixteenth century, and therefore, which is much older than the United States. However, elites in Canada have sought to pursue a shortsighted agenda of selling-off Canada, and our national psyche, like a piece of real estate, to American interests. These elite interests are closely linked to its political-military-industrial complex.

Canadians could mass produce zero-emissions cars, based upon the available technology, that U.S. Big Business interests under the control of Petroleum Industry interests, have failed to produce. If Sweden, South Korea, India, and other such countries can mass-produce cars, so can Canada. If GM knew that the CAW was taking greater leadership in such an entrepreneurial direction, rather that simply executing futile protests, then perhaps Canada, and its labour movement would earn more respect from U.S. Big Business interests, which show disrespect on Canadian labour issues.

General Motors (GM) is an American-based corporation, which is operating in Canada. As an American-based company, GM's primarily allegiance will be to appeasing vested interests in the United States, and not in Canada. GM's decision showed the lack of respect for Canadian law, as a U.S.-based corporation. GM would not be able to be as brazen about ignoring U.S. law. That is why the selling-out of Canada to U.S. corporate interest fundamentally threatens the ability of Canadians to control their own destiny. The North American Free Trade (NAFTA) which has supported the take-over of Canadian institutions by U.S. Big Business interests, threatens to create further job losses for Canadians. This occurs more and more, as U.S. companies seek to consolidate manufacturing "economies of scale" from the U.S. and sweatshops operating in China.

NAFTA has brought commercial "prosperity" for elites, at the expense of vital rights and overall quality-of-life in Canada.

So, rather than protests plant closures of truck and car manufacturing facilities, let's take this as an opportunity to manufacture our own trucks and cars, based upon the kind of environmental standards, that are being ignored by U.S. automakers.

Canadians indeed, have already developed zero-emission cars, than can easily be upgraded to family-friendly sedans. Unfortunately, government interests in Canada, working for the largely U.S. backed Alberta Oil lobbyists, have sought to block these vehicles from operating outside of the confines of places like golf courses.

Could the CAW and other such unions rise to the challenge, of re-transforming into grassroots movements that promote forward-thinking public policy toward social change? Probably, only if the grassroots of union organizations take back control of their movements, away from self-serving hypocritical elite officials and representatives among unions.

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