Ontario is providing $1.3 billion of the aid, with the federal government providing the rest.

While GM and Chrysler benefit from the largesse now, Ford Canada has not chosen to take advantage of immediate assistance.

While the billions come in the form of loans, Harper said that the Canadian government would attempt to secure some sort of assets as liens in the event that the companies don’t pay back the loans. Harper said, “I will not fool you– there is obviously some money at risk here.”

Harper also said that he would not allow the United States to restructure the companies, in which it has now taken a 20% stance, in any way that would relocate Canadian factories to America.

Harper said that his package included help for suppliers and consumers (easier access to consumer credit to allow them to buy cars, through the creation of a new government agency) so that it would not penalize those who have succeeded at their businesses in favor of rewarding failure.

The union Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) said that the current problems were not the result of concessions to auto workers but to current economic problems.