Finance Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland visited Windsor-Essex Monday, touting the nation’s rising economic system and shrinking unemployment price — regardless of the area’s excessive share of individuals struggling to seek out work.
Freeland met up with leaders and staff of the manufacturing and know-how firm Reko Automation in Lakeshore, Ont.
Throughout her go to, Freeland acknowledged that these are difficult financial occasions, however that Canada’s unemployment price is near a report low and that the variety of jobs added to the economic system has been rising.
But, over the previous few months Windsor’s unemployment price has been the highest amongst giant Canadian cities — sitting at 8.2 per cent, in comparison with the nation’s at 5 per cent on the finish of final yr.
Whereas the authorities is pushing for extra electrical automobile (EV) manufacturing, which is able to convey new jobs to the area, EVs may also minimize many blue collar jobs as they’re easier to supply.
When requested about what the federal government is doing to prioritize Windsor’s auto sector and guarantee folks stay employed, Freeland stated “it is one thing our authorities could be very centered on.”
“I’m very conscious of the position that Windsor has performed within the Canadian economic system of the previous century, it could be completely truthful to say that Windsor was probably the most essential engines of the trendy industrial Canadian economic system of the previous technology and what our authorities is totally dedicated to is to make sure that Windsor and Canada have our justifiable share — I might say greater than our justifiable share — within the industrial economic system of the twenty first century,” she stated.
She stated that can be achieved by “aggressively” investing within the clear economic system.
Freeland stated across the globe, nations need to purchase supplies and merchandise from democratic nations, like Canada. On the identical time, nations are in search of to succeed in web zero emissions, additionally like Canada.
“Whether or not it’s in vital minerals, or batteries, or EVs that can be in-built locations like Windsor, it’s completely important that Canada seize the historic alternatives that these international shifts characterize,” she stated.
The aim for the go to, in response to Freeland, was to take a look at how Canada, particularly Windsor, can safe its share of the commercial economic system. And she or he stated one of the simplest ways to do this is to talk with folks on the bottom.
“Speaking to the individuals who work right here, understanding what they like about their jobs, the challenges of their lives … that’s actually, actually useful for me within the interested by how within the upcoming finances we assist corporations like Reko … in doing that assist Canada as we construct that clear economic system,” she stated.
Windsor ‘most essential border crossing on this planet’
Freeland was joined by Windsor-Tecumseh MP Irek Kusmierczyk for a take a look at the know-how being made within the manufacturing facility.
A mechanical technician on the manufacturing facility informed CBC Information Freeland was a plastic welding machine, which is able to weld sensors and brackets onto future autonomous automobile bumpers.
The technician stated the machine is within the debugging stage and never in use but. The machine is made, designed and manufactured on the Lakeshore Reko facility.
Diane Reko, CEO of Reko Automation, spoke about her father immigrating to Canada from Austria, and opening his enterprise in Lakeshore in 1976 on the announcement.
“Reko has been a part of the manufacturing and know-how basis of Windsor-Essex,” she stated, including that her firm makes important gadgets like car elements, aerospace elements and medical gear.
Freeland stated companies like Reko Automation are the type of operations the federal authorities is trying to additional develop.
“Windsor is dwelling to probably the most essential border crossings on this planet, and companies right here, like Reko, are important to the Canadian, and as Diane identified, North American economic system,” Freeland stated.
Freeland stated Windsor’s proximity to the US will play a key position in rising the commercial economic system in Canada.
“I consider at this time {that a} privileged financial partnership with the US is extra essential than ever,” she stated.
Heading again to Ottawa, Freeland stated Monday’s conferences gave her three key takeaways, together with a affirmation that Canada can obtain a clear industrial economic system, higher coaching alternatives for younger folks trying to get into the tech and manufacturing sectors and extra inexpensive housing.
