Harper and the dinosaurs

Am I the only one unhappy about the Canadian government spending taxpayer money to buy into Chrysler?

The situations today at Chrysler and General Motors are eerily similar to the situation in the British auto industry in the late 1970s - only without the violence, disco and Labour Government. I suppose in that sense, you can slice the irony with a knife and serve it with a dollop of whipped cream.

The fact that any business in the United States - let alone banking or car manufacturing - is nationalized, must surely strike fear in the hearts of red blooded, god fearing, Coca-Cola drinking Republicans. The US government is definitely charting new territory. In Canada, the irony doesn't come so much from nationalization, but the government that's practicing it.

Stephen Harper has appeared frequently in the US media, touted as a trusted partner to Barack Obama in his first 100 days of the presidency. At a recent international event, B-roll news clips showed the pair, Harper following Obama, having a chat -- really it was Obama talking, and Harper basking in the warm glow of the president's aura. What could our little Alberta despot possibly offer the president? Frankly nothing. That's why Canadians now own $2 billion worth of an automotive dinosaur.

Harper is Ed McMahon to Obama's Johnny Carson; the world doesn't need another 'yes man' and follower. It needs a leader, and in that regard, the Chrysler deal is a complete failure on the part of Canada's leadership. Don't get me wrong, I care deeply about the thousands of families that would be affected should Chrysler close. But that's not the issue here.

The Canadian Government is not a bank machine. It should not be a lender-of-last-resort for a major international corporation -- with the Chrysler deal, we have skewed our entire government and financial system the wrong way. The unions aren't to blame for the demise of Chrysler. The public isn't to blame for the demise of Chrysler. Chrysler's predicament lies squarely on the shoulders of its management -- it alone decides on product offerings, negotiates terms with labour and suppliers, and sets its own pay rates. They should be held to account, not given a cushy, golden handshake. Chrysler isn't even publicly traded/owned anymore, which means the government is essentially taking over a business run by a private investment firm -- Cerberus Private Equity -- whose principals include a host of bigwigs and politicos with major connections. If Dan Gerstein's Forbes December 2008 article on the Chrysler-Cerberus-Government connection doesn't scare you, nothing will.

Aside from the lack of outrage by Canadians -- yet another indication that our education system needs some pretty serious help -- at the very least, there should be people across our country who see how $2 billion could help put more usable and accessible public transportation into place. Whether it's more than just one commuter rail line between Hamilton and Toronto, or additional urban subway lines, or a Vancouver "Sky Train" style monorail in our major cities and suburbs, the loss of Chrysler jobs can easily be made up for with well-thought out skills retooling that is directly relevant to new public works and infrastructure projects. Instead, we're seeing investments in things that perpetuate the myth that dinosaurs walked the earth with humans. How about something a little more profound and forward looking? Let the dinosaurs die, Mr. Harper.