For Immediate Release:
November 4, 2010
Queens Park – For the second time this week Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett was forced to file a notice of dissatisfaction following more non-answers from the Ontario Government.
Barrett requested a “late-show” debate after asking for details of government action to stem the impact of the blast furnace shut-down and predicted dispute at US Steel’s Hilton Works in Hamilton.
“Over a thousand steelworkers in my area have just come out of a 10-month US Steel lockout down at the Nanticoke Lake Erie Works. And now another 1,000 steelworkers at Hamilton’s Hilton Works are reading, ‘US Steel Lockout Countdown,’ and ‘The blast furnace in Hamilton will never reopen’,” Barrett reported. “Ontario taxpayers doled out $150 million during Stelco’s bankruptcy protection before US Steel received federal approval for a takeover—a takeover based on job and steel production commitments that have not been met.
“Acting Premier, what steps have you taken to ensure these commitments and the Ontario jobs that they protect are maintained?”
Finance Minister Dwight Duncan indicated that Ontario would, “continue to work with federal government and others who have an interest in ensuring that as many of these jobs as possible are protected in Ontario” – but provided no details as to what that work entails.
“Acting Premier, this game has gone on too long. The lockout down at Nanticoke’s Heckett has gone on for 18 month – I don’t think your government has done anything,” Barrett shot back. “A lockout may permanently close the Hilton works’ blast furnace and end 100 years of steelmaking. Families will again be split, as you’ve recognized – Steelworkers will again lose their homes.
“Primary industry has historically provided tens of thousands of jobs in Ontario. Are you preparing to wave goodbye to yet another industrial heavyweight? Do you have any plan at all for primary industry, or are you just making this up, crisis by crisis?”
This time it was the Minister of Labour’s turn to answer Barrett’s questions, suggesting that, “if there is any chance or hope of keeping the plant going, of assisting those workers, we will be there for those workers.”
Unconvinced, Barrett filed notice of his dissatisfaction making way for a late show debate. Just two days previous, Barrett had filed for a late show debate following lacklustre answers to his questions on the Smucker’s-Bick’s closures in Delhi and Dunnville.
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For more information, please contact MPP Toby Barrett at
(519) 428-0446 or (905)-765-8413, 1-800-903-8629
Labour dispute
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
November 3, 2010
Mr. Toby Barrett: To the Acting Premier: Over a thousand steelworkers in my area have just come out of a 10-month US Steel lockout down at the Nanticoke Lake Erie Works. And now another 1,000 steelworkers at Hamilton’s Hilton Works are reading, in “US Steel Lockout Countdown,” this report: “The blast furnace in Hamilton will never reopen.”
Ontario taxpayers doled out $150 million during Stelco’s bankruptcy protection before US Steel received federal approval for a takeover—a takeover based on job and steel production commitments that have not been met. Acting Premier, what steps have you taken to ensure these commitments and the Ontario jobs that they protect are maintained?
Hon. Dwight Duncan: I agree with the member citing the challenges associated for those families that are faced with this. That’s why, in 2006, we came forward with a package to protect their pensions; that member and his party voted against it. Our government continues to be in touch with the appropriate people in this situation, and we will continue to work to find the solution.
This is a troubled industry. We’re seeing closures in the United States, in places like Michigan and Wisconsin.
We will continue to work with the federal government and others who have an interest in ensuring that as many of these jobs as possible are protected in Ontario.
The Speaker (Hon. Steve Peters): Supplementary?
Mr. Toby Barrett: Acting Premier, this game has gone on too long. The lockout down at Nanticoke’s Heckett has gone on for 18 months. I don’t think your government has done anything. A lockout may permanently close the Hilton works’ blast furnace and end 100 years of steelmaking. Families will again be split, as you’ve recognized. Steelworkers will again lose their homes.
Primary industry has historically provided tens of thousands of jobs in Ontario. Are you preparing to wave goodbye to yet another industrial heavyweight? Do you have any plan at all for primary industry, or are you just making this up, crisis by crisis?
Hon. Dwight Duncan: To the Minister of Labour.
Hon. Peter Fonseca: We all feel that it is very unfortunate when these types of situations disrupt the lives of those workers, their families and the communities. But I can say that this government has been working 100%, rolling up its sleeves, through the Minister of Economic Development and Trade, through the Minister of Finance, through our Premier, through leadership and through the Ministry of Labour. We have our most seasoned, skilled, professional mediators there, working with the parties.
When the member says it’s all over, we don’t agree. We don’t agree with that. We continue to be there at the table, continuing to assist, to keep the dialogue open. If there is any chance or hope of keeping the plant going, of assisting those workers, we will be there for those workers.