Liberal finance critic raps Flaherty for GM job losses

OSHAWA -- Federal finance critic John McCallum waded into the political fray outside General Motors headquarters Thursday morning, offering his support to protesting auto workers and assurances Liberal government policies would help the struggling manufacturing sector.

Mr. McCallum blasted Prime Minister Stephen Harper for his response to this week's announcement that GM will close Oshawa's truck plant in 2009, laying off thousands of workers.

"Stephen Harper trivialized your situation by saying that it was a one-time event," he said. "It doesn't take that many one-time events to create a job crisis here in Canada." The Liberal politician fielded a barrage of questions and some attacks from members of Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) union local 222, in stark contrast to the warm welcome provincial NDP leader Howard Hampton received when he dropped by the protest site Wednesday afternoon.

One person in the crowd yelled, "Who can raise a family at $9 an hour," and another added, "or buy a truck or a car."

Mr. McCallum responded by saying, "We need to provide proper funding for retraining."

In addition to attacking the prime minister, Mr. McCallum took aim at Finance Minister and Whitby-Oshawa MP Jim Flaherty, saying he agreed with a call from Liberal leader Stephane Dion, that he be fired.

"Jim Flaherty tells the world Ontario is the worst place to invest and General Motors listened," he said, referring to controversial remarks made by the finance minister in February.

Mr. Flaherty's press secretary said the quote has been misinterpreted, stressing the minister was criticizing the province's high business taxes, saying they are a deterrent to business investment.

Hundreds of frustrated auto workers wearing red "Made in Canada Matters" T-shirts barricaded the road leading to General Motors head office Wednesday, some assembling as early as 4 a.m.

The protest continued bright and early Thursday morning and was expected to heat up in the afternoon, when CAW Local 222 President Chis Buckley addresses the crowd.

During a brief chat with Mr. McCallum, Mr. Buckley told him to ask his Conservative counterparts in Ottawa where his union members are expected to find the high-paying jobs Mr. Harper and Mr. Flaherty have referred to in recent statements about Canada's economy.

The finance critic said the Liberals would address the manufacturing crisis by funnelling more cash into the industry, opposing a free trade deal with Korea and supporting re-training efforts for laid-off workers.

"We believe in taking an active approach to government," he said, "This government we have today is purely laissez-faire, they say let the market do everything."