A local businessman was recently asked his opinion on the fate of NAFTA while on the Business News Network. This comes as President Elect Donald Trump says he will rip up NAFTA as it is costing too much American jobs.
Jonathan Azzopardi of Laval International, a Windsor Tool and Mold Company, says NAFTA is a key reason why we have an auto industry today.
Azzopardi says President Elect Donald Trump would severely damage the auto sector if he ripped up NAFTA.
He says that although Mexico's auto industry has risen by 20%, you can not beat Canadian and American Quality.
"While I do not believe that you will never beat Mexico on price," says Azzopardi "Obviously their labour is going to be cheaper and in this situation you really pay for what you get. The truth is that we have expertise, we have experience, our industry alone has taken 7 years to get where it is today and that is what we have here and it will stay here."
He says North America should be building cars, not walls.
"I visit Mexico on a regular basis and they are very intrigued and they are very interested in having Canadians to work on their work and do their jobs here," he says. "They want to work with Canadians and I think it is very narrow minded to think that all the jobs are going to Mexico."
The North American Free Trade Agreement was signed in 1994 and has been the backbone of the auto sector ever since.
- with files from AM800's Peter Langille