Obama Labor Boss Buys Canadian-Built Car

Gary Fabiano/U.S. Department of Labor

To show her support for American workers, President Obama's labor secretary, Hilda Solis, has junked the standard black limo and purchased a new Chevrolet Equinox to ride around Washington in. The problem: the crossover SUV is built and assembled in Canada from parts also made in Canada.

Solis proudly arrived at a media breakfast hosted by the Christian Science Monitor today in the shiny silver vehicle, which she has dubbed the "bullet." She was asked about why she traded the standard-issue limo for the SUV. "What better example could I set if I encouraged my staff to go and purchase and seek how we could acquire a vehicle that would for me would send a signal that we're for supporting our American workers, American-made products, fuel efficient as well," she told the Monitor's Dave Cook, who provided this video of her answer.

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Solis added that she was inspired to buy the Chevy because of the pride she saw in American auto workers during trips to U.S. car and truck plants. She said that she was wowed by "the pride that they take making our automobiles here in America."

The car is made at two Canadian plants and has been so popular that General Motors has been hiring more workers in Canada to keep up with demand. [See who's in Obama's inner circle.]

A company official noted that the profits do come back to the United States.

Solis did note that the Equinox, which she's driven once, is a nice ride. "It drives well. It's a good family car. Its not too big and I think women really like it."

Update: When Whispers notified her office that her “American-made” car was actually Canadian, Labor spokesman Carl Fillichio said, “Modern automobile manufacturing is a global industry and General Motors is a company whose reach extends far beyond the boundaries of the United States. Cars assembled here in the U.S. are made from globally sourced parts, just as cars assembled in other countries utilize parts made in America. Not only is the Equinox the second fastest selling SUV in America—a good sign for the overall health of the U.S. auto industry—66 percent of its parts were made in America. That’s up from about 50 percent just a few years ago.”

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