Trudeau promises to protect local construction jobs — and to hold EV plants to it
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will do everything he can to protect local jobs, he promised Monday, as he met with a union concerned that foreign workers are taking Canadian jobs at a new electric-vehicle battery plant in southern Ontario.
His promise came as the Conservatives pushed him to make the contracts for six major EV projects in Canada public, to show what protections they include for unionized jobs.
Trudeau addressed a crowd of 500 construction union leaders from all provinces on Monday at the Canada's Building Trade Unions annual conference, where he received a standing ovation.
During a 35-minute fireside chat with Sean Strickland, executive director of CBTU, Trudeau made a commitment that his Liberal government will strive to make sure most jobs linked to electric-vehicle projects in Canada stay local.
"So yes, it's part and parcel of it that we expect that the construction, the installation, the maintenance be done by Canadians as much as is humanly possible," Trudeau said.
"We've been pushing on the plants to make sure of that."
CBTU wrote to Trudeau earlier this month asking him to intervene because they said Canadian workers were being sidelined in favour of foreign employees at the NextStar EV battery plant in Windsor, Ont.
About 180 skilled workers in the region remain unemployed, the letter said, despite being available to perform work that has instead been assigned to newcomers.
Both Trudeau and NextStar, which is owned by Stellantis and LG Energy Solution, have denied that is happening, saying 72 positions have gone to foreign workers to install equipment that Canadians will be taught to use.
There's nothing more disturbing to a construction worker, Strickland said to Trudeau, than "when you have a Canadian worker sitting at home, collecting employment insurance in their home community, and there are foreign workers doing his or her work in a plant."
"That is just completely inexplicable to that Canadian worker. We can't have that happen," Strickland said.
Foreign automakers have invested tens of billions of dollars since 2020 to build up electric-vehicle battery plants in southern Ontario, with help from the federal and provincial governments in the form of tax credits and subsidies.
Last week, Honda became the most recent automaker to announce an electric-vehicle battery plant in the province, following similar projects by Volkswagen in St. Thomas, Ont., and the Stellantis LG plant in Windsor.
These EV projects will guarantee "fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth" generations of workers because of those investments, Trudeau said.
"We didn't do it because the government said 'OK, let's build electric cars,'" he said. "We did it because we said, 'This is where the jobs are going to be in the future.'"
Opposition MPs, however, want Trudeau to do more than just promise to try and protect jobs.
The Conservatives tabled a motion at a House of Commons committee demanding the government produce the contracts for six electric-vehicle projects underway in Canada.
The Tories want to see what the contracts say about the use of foreign workers.
This is the second time they've tried to get such contracts.
"The government claimed that all these jobs, both in the construction phase, with the exception of a few specialty jobs, would be jobs that were there for Canadians," Conservative industry critic Rick Perkins said Monday at the government operations committee.
"And in fact, that's not the case."
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh was undecided Monday on whether or not his party will support the Tories' quest, saying he needs more information.
"They're proposing to open up all contracts, and I've heard serious concerns about that jeopardizing the project," Singh said.
He maintained the NDP's position that any time public money goes toward projects, there need to be ironclad guarantees they would create good-paying union jobs, "and that the work stays in the country."
Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre is set to address the CBTU conference on Tuesday.
Trudeau gave leaders a cautionary warning ahead of Poilievre's speech.
"Ask him about whether he's actually going to stand with workers, even though for 20 years of his career in Parliament, he has ideologically stood against workers every step of the way — until, oh, suddenly he needs votes in order to get elected," Trudeau said.
"Look for actions, not just what people say. And I am proud to stand by the actions of what we have built together."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 29, 2024.
IN DEPTH
Budget 2024 prioritizes housing while taxing highest earners, deficit projected at $39.8B
In an effort to level the playing field for young people, in the 2024 federal budget, the government is targeting Canada's highest earners with new taxes in order to help offset billions in new spending to enhance the country's housing supply and social supports.
'One of the greatest': Former prime minister Brian Mulroney commemorated at state funeral
Prominent Canadians, political leaders, and family members remembered former prime minister and Progressive Conservative titan Brian Mulroney as an ambitious and compassionate nation-builder at his state funeral on Saturday.
'Democracy requires constant vigilance' Trudeau testifies at inquiry into foreign election interference in Canada
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau testified Wednesday before the national public inquiry into foreign interference in Canada's electoral processes, following a day of testimony from top cabinet ministers about allegations of meddling in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections. Recap all the prime minister had to say.
As Poilievre sides with Smith on trans restrictions, former Conservative candidate says he's 'playing with fire'
Siding with Alberta Premier Danielle Smith on her proposed restrictions on transgender youth, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre confirmed Wednesday that he is against trans and non-binary minors using puberty blockers.
Supports for passengers, farmers, artists: 7 bills from MPs and Senators to watch in 2024
When parliamentarians return to Ottawa in a few weeks to kick off the 2024 sitting, there are a few bills from MPs and senators that will be worth keeping an eye on, from a 'gutted' proposal to offer a carbon tax break to farmers, to an initiative aimed at improving Canada's DNA data bank.
Opinion
opinion Don Martin: Gusher of Liberal spending won't put out the fire in this dumpster
A Hail Mary rehash of the greatest hits from the Trudeau government’s three-week travelling pony-show, the 2024 federal budget takes aim at reversing the party’s popularity plunge in the under-40 set, writes political columnist Don Martin. But will it work before the next election?
opinion Don Martin: The doctor Trudeau dumped has a prescription for better health care
Political columnist Don Martin sat down with former federal health minister Jane Philpott, who's on a crusade to help fix Canada's broken health care system, and who declined to take any shots at the prime minister who dumped her from caucus.
opinion Don Martin: Trudeau's seeking shelter from the housing storm he helped create
While Justin Trudeau's recent housing announcements are generally drawing praise from experts, political columnist Don Martin argues there shouldn’t be any standing ovations for a prime minister who helped caused the problem in the first place.
opinion Don Martin: Poilievre has the field to himself as he races across the country to big crowds
It came to pass on Thursday evening that the confidentially predictable failure of the Official Opposition non-confidence motion went down with 204 Liberal, BQ and NDP nays to 116 Conservative yeas. But forcing Canada into a federal election campaign was never the point.
opinion Don Martin: How a beer break may have doomed the carbon tax hike
When the Liberal government chopped a planned beer excise tax hike to two per cent from 4.5 per cent and froze future increases until after the next election, says political columnist Don Martin, it almost guaranteed a similar carbon tax move in the offing.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW What a wildfire survivor says she regrets not grabbing before leaving home
Carol Christian had 15 minutes to evacuate her home during the Fort McMurray wildfires in 2016. She ended up losing the house and everything inside. Now, she wants to share the lessons she learned.
World No. 1 golfer charged with police officer assault before PGA Championship second round
World number one golfer Scottie Scheffler was arrested and charged with the assault of a police officer in what he called a 'chaotic situation' before being released in time to start his second round at the PGA Championship on Friday.
WATCH Infectious disease expert warns measles 'a very real threat'
A Canadian epidemiologist is warning the measles presents a 'very real threat' to public health if Canada doesn't maintain a high vaccination rate.
Judge considers dismissing indictment against Alec Baldwin in fatal shooting of cinematographer
A New Mexico judge is considering Alec Baldwin's request to dismiss a grand jury indictment against him at a virtual court hearing Friday.
LIVE @ 11:30 MT Four 1970s homicides linked to serial killer, Alberta Mounties to reveal Friday
A dead serial sexual offender and killer has been linked to four homicides in the 1970s in Alberta, RCMP say.
With today's high rates, should you consider an interest-free halal mortgage?
A halal mortgage complies with the Islamic religious, or Shariah, law, which forbids the use of 'riba' (interest). Here's what mortgage experts say those considering 'no-interest' halal mortgages should know.
Top whisky, rum and gin brands could pull products from LCBO amid pricing dispute
A group that represents a long list of spirit brands is warning that some popular products could be pulled from the Ontario market amid a multi-million dollar dispute with the LCBO.
4 dead after Houston storms cause widespread damage, major blackouts
Power outages could last weeks in parts of Houston after thunderstorms with hurricane-force winds tore through the city, an official said Friday, knocking out electricity to nearly 1 million homes and businesses.
60 years on, Tim Hortons is synonymous with Canada, but still chasing growth
When Tim Hortons rang in the new year, it marked the occasion with a nod to its humble roots, bringing back a quartet of doughnuts, including some from its earliest days.
Local Spotlight
'Another pair of eyes watching over me:' How a B.C. woman's service dog saved her from drowning
A B.C. woman says her service dog pulled her from a lake moments before she had a seizure, saving her life.
Starbucks fan on decades-long journey to visit every store in the world
A Starbucks fan — whose name is Winter — is visiting Canada on a purposeful journey that began with a random idea at one of the coffee chain's stores in Texas.
'Sacred work': Sask. First Nation learning how to conduct its own underground searches
Members of Piapot First Nation, students from the University of Winnipeg and various other professionals are learning new techniques that will hopefully be used for ground searches of potential unmarked grave sites in the future.
'It could mean a cure': Cautious optimism for groundbreaking ALS research at Western
ALS patient Mathew Brown said he’s hopeful for future ALS patients after news this week of research at Western University of a potential cure for ALS.
B.C. musician's song catches attention of Canucks
When Adam Kirschner wrote 'Slap Shot,' he never imagined the song would be embraced by his favourite team.
'We're on standby': Team ready to help entangled right whale in Gulf of St. Lawrence
A team is ready to help an entangled North Atlantic right whale in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
Thieves caught on camera stealing pet chicken from North Vancouver backyard
A $200 reward is being offered by a North Vancouver family for the safe return of their beloved chicken, Snowflake.
Adopted daughter in the Netherlands reunited with sister in Montreal and mother in Colombia, 40 years later
Two daughters and a mother were reunited online 40 years later thanks to a DNA kit and a Zoom connection despite living on three separate continents and speaking different languages.
'Reimagining Mother's Day': Toronto woman creates Motherless Day event after losing mom
Mother's Day can be a difficult occasion for those who have lost or are estranged from their mom.