With the elimination of the third shift at the Windsor Assembly Plant looming, NDP leader Jagmeet Singh is renewing demands for a national auto strategy.
He was in Windsor on Thursday to meet with local auto labour leaders to show support for the industry.
"If we don't make the investments now, if we don't develop a strategy now, we don't only lose current jobs but future jobs because the skilled talent is no longer going to be there," said Singh.
Singh and local NDP MP Brian Masse are calling for a strategy to attract investments and job creation.
"It has to be an investment tied to job creation with very strong penalties if the job creation doesn't happen. We've seen far too many situations where a company is given massive loans or investments and then just walks away with the money. That cannot happen," said Singh.
Masse said the strategy should build on the strengths of the country's skilled trade workers.
"We have to give the proper tools to the employees to be able to compete. A national auto strategy is just that," said Masse.
He said the strategy should include a specific fund for innovation in the automotive sector.
"We need to be bold out there, to tell the industry that we are not only interested in what we have but we want to grow the industry as a goal as the nation. The crossover technology and the opportunities are huge and the men and women that we have in our community we know can compete provided they are given a fair way to do so," said Masse.
Last week, Chrysler announced the third shift at the Windsor Assembly Plant would be eliminated on June 29, 2020, affecting 1500 workers at WAP.
