The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday, May 21, edition that Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association, believes Canada should consider starting its own automaker. The Globe's Adam Radwanski writes that Canada largely hosts foreign-owned assembly plants. In a recent interview, Mr. Volpe suggested that the challenges posed by U.S. President Donald Trump's trade wars, which have led to production slowdowns and layoffs by international automakers, could be seen as an opportunity for Canada. Mr. Volpe suggested that embracing a Canadian-headquartered automaker could help Canada move beyond a branch-plant mentality and secure long-term economic benefits. He emphasized the importance of not taking peace with the Americans for granted and criticized Canada's tendency to lack national ambition. Building a domestic car manufacturer would bolster Canada's manufacturing capacity, crucial for its economic sovereignty and infrastructure that could support various products. He noted it could enhance domestic innovation and productivity. "An automaker's headquarters enables decision making, research and engineering, clustering essential functions that operations can't handle."
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