Ontario Premier Doug Ford didn’t have a lot to say after a meeting with representatives of Stellantis Canada, Unifor, and the federal government regarding the sale of the Brampton Assembly plant to Canadian armoured vehicle manufacturer Roshel.
CP24 reporter Beatrice Vaisman caught up with the premier as he left the meeting in a downtown Toronto hotel.
“It’s a discussion that we’ve got to carry on with the CEO,” Ford told CP24 when asked how the meeting went.
As to when that discussion might happen, the premier said he wanted it “as quickly possible.”
Shortly after that, Industry Minister Melanie Joly confirmed in a post-meeting news conference that the next step is for the federal government and the Ontario government to meet with the global CEO of Stellantis, Antonio Filosa.
“I’m always willing to be in solution mode,” said Joly, who informed Stellantis Thursday that the government intends to sue the automaker to get back the “hundreds of millions of dollars” it received as part of a federal funding agreement after selling the Brampton plant.
She gave Stellantis 30 days to respond.
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Workers ‘feel betrayed’: Unifor
Meanwhile, Unifor officials said the 2,200 workers at the Brampton assembly plant felt “let down” after CTV News reported that federal government officials had meetings with Stellantis and Roshel representatives ahead of the sale.
“They felt that there could have been a different outcome because we have been fighting so hard since February of last year, not to get into this place, not to be in a place where we are losing an auto plant,” Unifor National President Lana Payne said in a separate news conference on Thursday.
She said there were opportunities to stop the sale and that the two levels of governments had levers to do so.
“We have a sale, and that’s very unfortunate and disappointing,” Payne said.
As to who is to blame for the sale, the union national president said “lots of people,” including Stellantis, which pulled the trigger, as well as Roshel, which made the “grand offer.”
Vito Beato, who is the president of Unifor Local 1285, which represents the Brampton Assembly plant workers, echoed Payne’s sentiments on how the workers are feeling with all the news that has come out over the past few days.
“They’re feeling angry. The stress, anxiety, and the pain they’re going through that hasn’t changed,” Beato said.
When asked if he’s angry at the federal government, “Of course,” he replied.
“We feel betrayed by everyone involved here.”
Meanwhile, Payne said the union is still bargaining with Stellantis for a new contract for thousands of workers in other Canadian plants, and talks could include a severance package for the Brampton workers.
“I’m not closing the door on any of this right now. There are discussions that will continue to be had between, you know, both levels of government and likely the global CEO of Stellantis, and hopefully you know there can be proposals there that may get us to a different outcome,” she said.
When asked if the union could walk off the job, Payne said it is a “last resort.”
“The strike will come if we need to do it. But the reality is, we’ve got a lot of work to do before we’re in that place,” she added.
With files from CTV News’ Marieke Walsh, Vassy Kapelos, and Graham Richardson
