Leaders from different areas of the auto sector hope to convince the U.S. Commerce Department to scrap any plans to impose tariffs on imported vehicles and auto parts.
U.S. President Trump has pegged Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross to investigate whether the imports are a threat to national security, but the auto industry says it would hurt industry competitiveness, force consumers to pay considerably more for new vehicles, and result in significant job losses on both sides of the border.
We're now at 20 speakers at Trump's hearing on possible "national security" auto tariffs. Just one, the UAW union, has expressed any kind of support. Otherwise unanimous: no basis at all for the idea that car imports are a national security issue, tariffs would hurt the US.
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) July 19, 2018
Daniel Dale is a Washington correspondent for the Toronto Star.Wednesday, manufacturers in Windsor-Essex met to discuss the impact of U.S. tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminium, and possible auto tariffs. Most suggested the tariffs will devastate their businesses. The Windsor-Essex Economic Development Corporation says the number of local jobs at risk could number up to 20,000.
There are also fears U.S. tariffs will hurt the overall economies in Canada and the U.S. as the collateral damage stretches beyond the auto sector.