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L r Page A10 ♦ THE CANADIAN STATESMAN ♦ September 13, 2006 durhamregion.com Leave auto sector out of deal, province says BY IZABELA JAROSZYNSKI Staff Writer DURHAM -- The auto industry industry should not be included in a free trade agreement between Canada and Korea, the provincial government says. Joe Cordiano, Ontario's minister minister of economic development and trade, said last week be has asked the federal government to exclude the auto sector from free trade talks with Korea because of potential harm to the industry. "We're not mincing words on this," he said. "We want to be very clear about our position that we want to set aside the auto sector in the negotiations. The industry has screamed loud and hard that it will be detrimental to them if we don't get it excluded." excluded." The Canadian Auto Workers union has made no secret of its strong stance against the deal and has been actively campaigning to hall the talks - most recently distributing flyers, of protest at the August launch of the Camaro at the General Motors car plant in Oshawa. "We need to ensure that trade is fair," local 222 president Chris Buckley said. The union's concerns revolve around the trade imbalance .between the number of Canadian-made Canadian-made cars being shipped to the Korean market compared to the flood of Korean-made vehicles entering Canada. In 2005, Canada exported only 278 vehicles to South Korea, while importing more than 118,000 from the Asian country. Auto executives, including Daim- IcrChrysler CEO Steven Landry, have cited non-tariff barriers, such as social stigma for drivers of foreign vehicles, as the main obstacle to fair trade. "While free trade is important, what is more important is to make that trade fair," he said at an industry conference in April. In 2Ô05, bilateral merchandise trade equalled $8.1 billion, making making Korea Canada's seventh largest largest trading partner. Negotiations for a free trade deal have been ongoing for more than a year, with the federal government hoping hoping that a deal would enhance access to not only Korea, but also to neighbouring Japan and China. In a recent interview, Oshawa MP Colin Carrie, parliamentary parliamentary assistant to the minister of industry, said that the CAW and Canadian car manufacturers are being consulted in the negotiation negotiation process. "We will ensure that all stakeholders' stakeholders' interests are reflected throughout the negotiations," he said. Industry Canada will be releasing releasing an Economic Impact Study later this month that will look at the effects of a potential free trade agreement with South Korea on the automotive industry, industry, Dr. Carrie said.. "I, along with my colleagues at Industry Canada and International International Trade Canada continue to have the competitiveness of Canada's automotive industry as a priority," he added. - with files from TorStar News Seiyice IVTOIWL (TALL.FRY & (.in SHOPPE NEW RELEASE - Walter Campbell "Hearts Flower Shop " Historic Downtown Bowmanville, 7 king Street East 905-b23-h411 Mmm OSHAWA ° '^centers kiirifcgftp kicatfotp cfpeefafofo Join us Sept. 14,2006 for a presentation on: "The Most Spectacular Train Trip in the World" ROCKY' MOUNTAINEER» . Andrea Mendelsohn from Rocky Mountaineer Vacations will discuss traveling by rail through the magnificent Rockies and Western Canada. Please RSVP for this event as seating is limited. 905-576-8833 1206 Simcoe St N., Oshawa, ON. oshawa@cruiseshipcenters.com www.oshawa.cruiseshipcenters.ca TICO# 50011964 Durham Daily News Every weekday vIdeodurhamroQlon.com .y>: