Canada's Big Three/Ontario's "Muscle Car Premier"

In September: GM, Toyota, Honda. Compare Civic sales with all Ford and Chrysler cars. Grim.

Toyota Canada Inc. and Honda Canada Inc. jumped into the second and third spots ahead of DaimlerChrysler Canada Ltd. and Ford Motor Co. of Canada Ltd., marking the first time both Japan-based companies have been in the top three. Note in "Update's" first link that China is predicted to become the world's third largest auto producer this year.

Traditional leader General Motors of Canada Ltd. still tops the rankings with an 8-per-cent rise last month, but combined market share for the world's largest auto maker, Chrysler and Ford fell to less than 50 per cent in Canada last month for just the second time...

Canadians bought a record 7,586 compact Civic cars last month.

That's more than twice as many Civics as Chrysler's total passenger car sales of 3,775 and more than Ford's car total of 4,154...

The above provides context for the astounding hypocrisy (and Alberta-bashing) of Camaro Dalton.

Asked about plans by federal Environment Minister Rona Ambrose to meet with reps of the auto industry to discuss what they can do to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, McGuinty sided with the auto industry.

Yep, you heard right. A tough-talking Liberal leaped to the defence of big business to protect an industry from a bunch of tree-hugging, eco-warrior Tories.

"One thing we will not abide is any effort on the part of the national government to unduly impose greenhouse gas emission reductions on the province of Ontario at the expense of our auto sector," McGuinty said...

He said Ambrose should sit down with people from the oil and gas sector in Western Canada to address climate change...

...he's the Muscle Car Premier, too.

Just a few short weeks ago, he and then economic development Minister Joe Cordiano were at the GM plant in Oshawa, pegging the future of the industry in this province on the sleek back of the new Camaro.

Mark C.

Update: I somehow doubt this is the real threat from China

Upperdate: "Renault and GM Not Commenting on Report Alliance Talks Over".

Posted by markc at October 4, 2006 11:20 AM