So, if you’re an Ontarian, you’d probably already feeling the effects of the downwards economic situation. There are two reason why Ontario is in such a hole: our reliance on the auto industries and oil products as our main form of energy.
The auto industry had once been the bread and butter of this province with the
signing of the Auto pact during the 60s. With the Auto Pact, Ontario began its dependence on building auto, parts, and other auto related products.
Like most North Americans, we believe that oil will be here forever, that we could sustain it for generations upon generations upon generations. And so, we do the most obvious thing: we focus our auto industry on pickup trucks, suvs, and those mega things we call Hummers. What we don’t or haven’t realized is that, even if we have a lot, the oil supply is strained. “Why?” someone might ask.
Well, there is only one reason: the Iraq War. Every time the big slumbering elephant to the south goes to war, materials essential to our economy begin to go to building up their armed forces to fight a costly and wasteful conflict.
If you look at it, when did oil prices go up? Right after the Americans decided to attack Iraq, and oust Saddam.
This goes the same for metals such as copper which is essential for both American ammunition/munition and the wires in homes and other buildings.
Guess who has the priority to use both materials? That’s right: The American armed forces.
Last time they had dibs on the copper was during the Vietnam War. That’s approximately the same time Government building codes to allow “aluminum wiring”. Aluminum, although is the next in line after copper as the most conductive metal, sucks when it comes to wiring and causes many problems in the long run as it oxidizes when the wires become loose (and they become loose pretty quickly)…
Anyways, back to the car/oil thing…
The problem with North America is that many North Americans cannot or don’t want to realize that the economies across the continent are showing signs of stagflation (Inflation accompanied by stagnant growth, unemployment and/or recession.). People aren’t buying pickup trucks, SUVs, and the Hummer due to rising oil prices and the fact that unemployment is going up. Even Euro and Asian car companies with their smaller vehicles (i.e. compacts) aren’t selling that well.
Looking in the same direction, unions and their members just aren’t getting it. For instance, the recent strike due to the closure of the GM Truck plant in Oshawa. Those people want it open. So does everyone else. However the reality is that GM is doing the right thing by closing that plant as clearly the gas guzzling part of the auto industry is not only bleeding consumers’ wallets to death, but also killing the companies that made them. If GM continues to make trucks, not only will those who make trucks will lose their jobs, but also those who work on other types of vehicles.
That’s why I don’t understand why McGuinty and his Ontario Liberal government would be investing in the
auto industry when clearly it is dying.
And what’s up with the “training programs”? What, train them for jobs to work in provinces like Alberta, Nova Scotia, or even Newfoundland? Like, come on.
Seriously, we have become a have-not province, and McGuinty is letting Ontario bleed to death. If this continues, sooner or later Windsor and Oshawa are going to be the next Flint, Michigan.
This is why at the next elections in October 2011, Ontario should dump McGuinty and the Ontario Liberals and elect John Tory and the Ontario Progressive Conservatives as the next Government of Ontario.
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