WOODSTOCK -- Mayors of Ontario's automotive cities are rallying to fight a recently announced ta... Mayors to fight fed gas tax

WOODSTOCK -- Mayors of Ontario's automotive cities are rallying to fight a recently announced tax on gas guzzlers they say will "decimate" the province's auto industry.

The mayors oppose penalizing large fuel users, fearing Ontario will move toward adopting California standards for vehicles that, by 2012, would mean Ontarians would not be able to buy cars assembled here, Harding said.

The recent free trade deal between Korea and North America may see tariffs dropped, but Asian countries still restrict the sale of vehicles made here in their markets, a common complaint of the Canadian Auto Workers union.

"We may get rid of tariffs, but there are trade barriers they are adept at putting in place," said Nantais, referring to emission standards, safety standards and even insurance requirements.

The only automaker to speak in favour of the federal government policy is Toyota, the company building a new assembly plant in Woodstock that will employ 2,000.

"I appreciate that Toyota is green, but the Big Three are still the largest employers of auto workers. We cannot, as an industry, favour one automaker over another."

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