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•T he IFP• H alton H ills, Thursday, O ctober 10, 2013 7 GEORGETOWN'S Best Kept Secret! 416-220-2741 46 Armstrong Road, Georgetown ON MiskasWoodProducts.com • Truck Accessories • Upholstery • Heavy Equipment Glass •Window Tinting 354 Guelph Street, Georgetown 905-873-1655 We handle all insurance work. • your window & door professionals • 341 Guelph St., Unit 3 Georgetown 905.873.0236 www.buy-wise.ca info@buy-wise.ca • awarded readers choice 20 times • Visit our showroom COMMENT Focus must remain on economy There were difficult adjustments in the manufacturing sector in the years following the global financial crisis of 2008. Both Chrysler and General Motors had to be bailed out by Canadian and American governments, and the federal government had to provide support to other manufacturers like Linamar of Guelph. An estimated 52,000 Cana- dian jobs were protected by our government's in- tervention in the auto sector, which employs hundreds of thousands of Canadians, and amounts to 12% of our total ex- ports worldwide. While some manufac- turing companies contin- ue to face challenges, the overall sector continues to grow. Statistics Canada announced that Canada's economy grew 0.6% in July, with strong growth in the manufacturing sector (1.1%). This surpassed economists' ex- pectations of 0.5% growth. The RBC Canadian Manufacturing Purchasing Managers' (PMI) index, which evaluates manufacturing busi- ness conditions, grew to 54.2 in Sep- tember from 52.1 in August. A read- ing above 50 is a sign of growth in the manufacturing sector, and September's reading marks the highest PMI level since June 2012. But more needs to be done. That is why last month, the government an- nounced that it is investing $71.6 mil- lion in the Ford of Oakville to bolster local job growth in this key sector. This money comes from the federal government's Automotive Innovation Fund (AIF), a $250 million, 5-year pro- gram that supports the development of Canada's auto sector. The AIF is ex- pected to generate up to $2.3 billion in private sector investment. The money will transform the Ford Oakville assembly plant into a state-of- the art global manufacturing facility and will make it one of Ford's most so- phisticated plants in the world. We are committed to strengthening the economy while keeping high-quality jobs here in Canada, and this investment will do just that. It will also ensure that Ford's Oakville plant will be able to compete with any manufacturer at any plant in the world. The government is building on previous sig- nificant investments in our local manufacturing sec- tor. In 2009, we invested $54.8 million in Guelph's Linamar Corporation to develop green automo- tive technologies. Just last month, it was announced at Linamar's Guelph facili- ty that the government will invest up to $3 million in 39 industry associations to create new opportunities for their companies in markets around the world. These job-creating investments are working. This year marks the sixth straight year in a row that Canada's fi- nancial system was ranked number one by the World Economic Forum, which rated Canada's financial system as the safest and soundest in the world. However, despite Canada's continued leading economic performance, we are not immune to the turbulence beyond our own borders, including the on-go- ing budget crisis in the United States. That is why your federal government will continue to remain focused on the economy here at home by investing in job-creating industries such as the auto- motive and manufacturing sectors. Please contact me if you have any questions or comments. I can be reached by phone at (866) 878-5556 or by email at michael.chong@parl.gc.ca. --Michael Chong is the MP for Wellington-Halton Hills MICHAEL CHONG The way we were This is an interior of the Creelman building, which stood on Main Street in Georgetown. Creelman Brothers, established in 1876 became a leader in manufacturing knitting ma- chines for home and commercial use. During the height of its success in the 1890s when this photo was taken, the firm was placing orders internationally from France, Spain and New Zealand. The building where the plant stood now houses Curves. Photo: courtesy of the Esquesing Historical Society Content: Heritage Halton Hills Creelman Brothers 'If she says 'no-go' we're still going to open it.' -- Dr. Justin Busse, see story pg. 3 Deitrich Maahs, (left) a senior air cadet with 756 Wild Goose Royal Canadian Air Cadet Squadron in Georgetown receives congratu- lations from an instructor after recently earning his pilot's licence through the National Defence Power Pilot Scholarship program. Maahs underwent seven weeks of intense training this summer. Photo by Captain Warren Calvert Got a photo you want to share? Email: jmcghie@theifp.ca. EArNING HIs wINGs From our readers 'Quote unquote'