Branch Plant Under New Management (?)

Canada has been described by more than one observer as having a "branch plant economy." We don't design much, we don't raise the capital, market it, et cetera, we just build it. Ontario in particular has a reputation for making cars. The associations though run very strongly with American brands, GM in Oshawa, Ford in Oakville, and Chyrsler in Windsor.

Now though it appears that Cerberus is going to hack Chrysler down to size after months of speculation about who would have that unenviable task. Meanwhile Ford may or may not be up for sale. Of course before we board up this province and abandon it for the oil patch, we should remember that there have others quietly setting up shop here. Will the new Ontario be one of Toyota in Cambridge and Woodstock, as well as Honda in Alliston, and the like? If I were Dalton McGuinty, I'd be placing some more calls to Japanese manufacturers looking to set up assembly plants in North America.