Canadian manufacturers request urgent action from federal government

The 43-member Canadian Manufacturing Coalition has written to Prime Minister Stephen Harper, requesting immediate and strategic action to help overcome current economical challenges.

The Coalition, of which the Canadian Plastics Industry Association is a member, asked the government to focus on three critical objectives to help manufacturers.

First, the coalition called on the government to address immediate liquidity problems, to help ensure that credit continues to be available to consumers and businesses in Canada.

“Without action to address the current liquidity problems, other economic measures and policy initiatives will be academic if companies have closed their doors,” said the coalition.

Additionally, the group would like the government to counter recessionary pressures by making strategic investments to strengthen Canada’s competitiveness. The group noted that public investments should be targeted to improve critical transportation, border, communications, and energy infrastructure, and the government should invest in innovation that Canadian businesses can commercialize.

The third objective highlighted in the group’s letter called for the government to implement policy measures “that will improve the long-term strength and competitiveness of the Canadian economy.”

“Prime Minister, we share the vision of a stronger, more competitive Canadian economy emerging from the current credit crisis,” said the letter from the coalition. “Your government has a leading role to play in creating a framework that enables value-adding industries to restructure, invest in innovation, and seize new business opportunities.”

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