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<\/p>\nCanadian International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu with Chinese officials at Chery auto plant in Wuhu<\/p>\n
The head of Canada\u2019s largest private sector union is calling out a Brampton MP for visiting a Chinese auto manufacturing plant while auto workers in his own riding are struggling to keep their jobs.<\/p>\n
International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu, who represents Brampton East, visited the Chery auto plant in Wuhu, China to talk upcoming models, research and innovation and \u201chear about their plans to introduce affordable EVs to Canadians,\u201d while posting pictures of his visit.<\/p>\n
Unifor President Lana Payne, however, took Sidhu to task for the visit while \u201cthousands of auto workers are fighting to save their jobs, including in Minister Sidhu\u2019s own riding of Brampton.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Stellantis manufacturing plant in Brampton has been idled since late 2023, with the company announcing the plant is for sale.<\/p>\n
Stellantis has signed a memorandum of understanding to sell the plant to Brampton-based Roshel \u2013 who has said they want to turn it into a defense manufacturing centre \u2013 but there has been interest from several other entities, including Chinese auto makers who could convert it into an electric vehicle plant.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnyone who understands the auto industry knows the problem China poses to hundreds of thousands of jobs here in Canada and across North America and to the entire manufacturing industry,\u201d Payne said.<\/p>\n
Unifor has been promoting its\u00a0Sell Here, Build Here campaign, with the message being delivered directly to the public through social media graphics and billboards since Prime Minister Mark Carney announced he had struck a trade deal with China that will allow up to 49,000 electric vehicles per year into Canada at a reduced tariff rate.<\/p>\n
Payne previously called that a \u201cself-inflicted wound to an already injured Canadian auto industry.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t want to hear it\u2019s just three per cent of the auto market. It always starts like this. It\u2019s 20 per cent of the EV market,\u201d Unifor President Lana Payne told a crowd of Local 222 members in Oshawa. \u201cThe Chinese quota will grow every year. In fact, the government has given them an escalator. There will be no turning back this clock.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Unifor President Lana Payne in Oshawa<\/p>\n
Unifor wants companies that profit from the Canadian market to invest and build here or risk penalties, including tariffs, and loss of Canadian customers.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you want access to Canada\u2019s market, you must invest here, create jobs here and build here. That is how we protect Canadian jobs, defend our industrial base and build a stronger, more resilient economy for future generations,\u201d Payne said.<\/p>\n
Flavio Volpe, who heads up the Canadian Automotive Parts Association and has been active in fighting the automotive tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump in early 2025, said courting favour with Chinese automotive manufacturers should not be a priority of the federal government.<\/p>\n
\u201cChery is not going to make cars in Canada. We all know this,\u201d he said on X. \u201cWe need to focus on Brampton Assembly and the five companies that already assemble cars in Canada and the hundreds of suppliers making parts and systems for them.\u201d<\/p>\n