GM disputes Canadian auto union’s Super Bowl ad

By The Associated Press
February 3, 2019

The Canadian subsidiary of General Motors is trying to stop an auto workers union from airing a critical TV commercial during the Super Bowl.

The 30-second ad calling the automaker greedy and “un-Canadian” is scheduled to broadcast on Canadian TV stations during Sunday’s game.

GM announced plans in November to close its car factory in Oshawa, Ontario, near Toronto, costing the jobs of about 2,600 blue-collar workers.

The commercial accuses GM of continuing to expand in Mexico while leaving Canadians “out in the cold” and makes claims about the costs of a 2009 auto bailout.

GM of Canada sent a cease-and-desist letter to the Unifor union giving it a Saturday deadline to stop using the ad. GM says in a statement that the ad is misleading and inaccurate.