Michigan and Ontario Agree to Talk

Does it count as an agreement when you only list stuff to discuss in the future and you don't actually consent or have a meeting of the minds about anything? Maybe yes, at least according to the state of Michigan, home of Detroit, and the Canadian province of Ontario (that's where Toronto and Windsor are). They are both, evidently, anxious about losing future vehicle manufacturing jobs and profits to other places. So instead of their usual competition, they are going Socialist (did I say that?) and attempting to work together to as governments to keep jobs, profits, and whatever else they consider to be fruits of their leadership in this economic sector. 

Republican-led Michigan is putting money into the auto sector, specifically into testing sites for driverless and connected vehicles. Now why Republican, free-market, (but it's okay to poison the water of poor people in Flint) Gov. Rick Snyder - and his Republican-majority legislature - are doing their best to influence the private sector is both obvious and hypocritical; but that's the sausage making of politics.

Actual cross-border agreement to ...

What Michigan and Ontario actually agreed to do in their newly signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), according to Gov. Snyder's press release, was to:

[C]reate a working group to explore opportunities for increased collaboration that enhance the competitiveness of both jurisdictions. Potential focus areas include:

• Technology advancement, including connected cars, autonomous vehicles, lightweight materials and alternative fuels

• Increased supply chain integration and technology transfer through business-to-business partnerships

• Best practices in industry strategy, regulatory and policy approaches, and workforce skills development. 

For some unknown reason or through oversight, the agreement itself was not linked to the press release.

Money, money

The Governor and the Ontario Premier made nice, nice about how they are both leaders in the world of automobile manufacturing and technology and how their respective jurisdictions are already close friends, what with the billions and billions worth of trade flowing across their common border. No fence requested here.

Crain's remarked on the synchronous timing of the MOU and auto labor talks.