Speaking Points
The Honourable James Moore, PC, MP
Minister of Industry
September 19, 2013
Oakville, Ontario
Check against delivery
Thank you, Terence, for the kind introduction.
Ladies and gentlemen, Madam Premier, distinguished guests, thank you all very much for being here. I'd also like to point out a number of colleagues who are with us: Minister of Transport Lisa Raitt; Mississauga–Brampton South MP Eve Adams; Mississauga South MP Stella Ambler; Don Valley West MP John Carmichael; Brant MP Phil McColeman; Etobicoke–Lakeshore MP Bernard Trottier; Mississauga East–Cooksville MP Wladyslaw Lizon; and Senator Victor Oh. They are all here to show solidarity and the importance of making sure that this Ford plant grows and continues to be a true Canadian success story.
It is a pleasure for me to be here on behalf of Prime Minister Stephen Harper to make a very important announcement for Ford and for the Canadian economy.
Earlier this year, Prime Minister Harper was here to announce that our government was renewing the Automotive Innovation Fund with a commitment of $250 million to this key part of the Canadian economy.
And we are happy to be back here today with money to ensure that Canada's auto sector remains a global leader.
Ford's Project Northern Star, as you know, is part of a 10-year, $1.1-billion project to transform this facility into one of the most sophisticated in the entire world.
It will expand Ford's research and development and ensure that work is done right here in Oakville by Canadians. It will also ensure that this plant has the ability to continue to produce high-quality, fuel-efficient and smartly designed vehicles like the newly redesigned Ford Edge, Ford Flex, Lincoln MKX and MKT, and to continue to export these products around the world.
We all know Ford's story and how well Ford did relative to other manufacturers during the recession, and that success is built on the hard work of the workers in this plant. It's built on the sales team across this country. It's built on the leadership that Ford showed time and again, steering this company in the right direction. It's built on the great products that Ford is known for.
As not only Minister of Industry but also a customer of Ford products, I thank you for putting brilliant products on the road so we can buy Canadian and be proud of it.
As was just mentioned, we're very proud of this partnership. It's been 60 years that you have been here in Oakville. We know that Canadians build the best cars in the world with the best workers, the best commitment and the best technology. Indeed, we have come an incredibly long way.
It was hinted at, but the darkest days of the downturn of the global recession were pretty scary times for all of us. But look at where we are today—re-establishing partnerships, investing in plants, creating jobs in Canada, moving forward, and ensuring that we have a world-class facility with world-class products and the best auto workers in the world. This is an impressive time.
I'm very pleased to be here on behalf of the Government of Canada to announce our contribution to this partnership—a commitment of up to $71.6 million to this plant here in Oakville.
I have a bunch of statistics here about this plant and about how great you're doing at exporting to China and exporting to Brazil and capturing global markets and accomplishing great things. But the truth is it's a much more important story than that.
Canada has the lowest taxes in over 50 years. We have the best jobs numbers in the G7. We're doing incredibly well as an economy. But those are macro numbers. The reason why that happens is because of the great work done by the workers here in this plant—by people like yourselves investing in companies, remaining strong through the storm that we saw, being proud of your product, reinventing great products, putting them on the market and making sure that we stand tall and proud.
Thank you for having me here today. Happy 60th birthday to Ford's Oakville operations. I'm looking forward to another 60 years of brilliant products from Ford and an even greater future ahead for all of us.
Thank you very much.
