Windsor-Essex NDP MPs call Liberals for national auto strategy

NDP MPs from Windsor-West, Windsor-Tecumseh and Essex called on the federal Liberals for a national auto strategy Monday afternoon, saying the government needs to take fast action in face of possible auto tariffs from U.S. president Donald Trump.

"We have some great domestic policy things that we can be doing, and we need to be pursuing those at a very accelerated level at this point," said Tracey Ramsey, MP for Essex.

She said the speed at which the government acted with steel and aluminum tariff threats was far too slow and things need to change with looming auto tariffthreats.

Trump is consideringa 25 per cent tariff on Canadian vehicles, which has caused anxiety among auto workers on the shop floor.

Ramsey said the $2-billion package the federal government has promised the steel and aluminum industry will not be enough to sustain an entire sector.

Windsor-West MP Brian Masse also criticized the government's actions, saying that the response has been reactionary and "last ditch attempts to save jobs."

He emphasized that Canada should be following in the footsteps of other countries with national auto strategies, such as South Korea and Mexico.

Public consultations on impact

The three MPs want people to start writing to the government about how the tariffs would affect them in hopes of driving faster action.

Cheryl Hardcastle, MP for Windsor-Tecumseh, said a strategy is needed to prepare everyone for the uncertainty in the industry.

"It boils down to all of us being able to pay our bills and buy our groceries," she said.

There will be two public consultations held on Thursday about the impact of potential auto tariffs. There's a stakeholder roundtable early in the afternoon, followed by a public meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. at Ciociaro Club.