By Staff
September 28, 2015
BURLINGTON, ON
The U.S. Steel request to be relieved from paying pension supplements and health benefits to retired Hamilton-area steelworkers demonstrates the Conservative government’s failure to stand up for Canadian workers and how far they’ve let the Canadian steel industry slip away at least that’s the way Liberal candidate Karina Gould sees it.
Conservative incumbent Mike Wallace, who served as chair of the parliamentary steel caucus which was formed in the late 1970s and has strong Burlington roots, welcomed U.S. Steel’s acquisition of Stelco Inc. and at the time “shrugged off concerns about the loss of Canadian ownership in the sector” in 2007.
That shrug has come back to haunt Wallace who has yet to make any comment on what he thinks should be done for the workers in Hamilton –many who live in Burlington.
Liberals support foreign investment in Canada but also believe in the protection of vital Canadian industrial sectors and in putting community-based economic development back on the agenda.
Gould, who understand the economic investment file wants to see the “Investment Canada Act amended to introduce new transparency and enforceability measures to ensure clear and long-term benefits are achieved for Canadians when a foreign takeover takes place.”
“I have spoken with too many people in this community” said Gould “who are frightened about the future of their pension.” Gould added: “The silence of the current Member of Parliament and secret dealings of the Harper government on an issue that could negatively impact thousands of people in our region is simply unacceptable.”
Liberal candidate Karina Gould wraps Mike Wallace’s knuckles over the attempt on the part of US Steel to change pension benefits
“Liberals believe in the principle that employers must honour the commitments made to retirees, and that pensioners must be included in any consultation and planning process to make changes to their existing plans. We have a collective legacy of valuing the long-term pension security of Canadians; a belief upheld in both words and deeds.”
“The Conservative government’s lack of action to protect pensioners in the Statutory Review of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act and the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act was completely unacceptable, and is yet another example of them ignoring the concerns of Canadian pensioners.”
There is an election going on and every issue that can be used to gain some mileage will get highlighted. Many thought it was pretty brassy on the part of US Steel to ask that they be permitted to not pay pension benefits and get a waiver on municipal taxes as well.
The pension issue is scary for a lot of people.
We NEED and should demand electoral reform for many items that are voted on. Too many closed door meetings and items being passed by 7 individuals, some who do NOT have their consitituants’ best interest at heart!! We have a council who completely ignores deligations and some who don’t know the facts. We need a non-bias ‘council’ to referee our government council and report back to the community on big issues. Maybe we should round up the regular Burlington Gazette commentators to arbitrate.
If you take the lead in organization, I will follow.
As will I
When the Conservatives welcomed U.S. Steel to Canada, they allowed Stelco and its employees to be sold down the river that headed south. Harper and our local MP have done nothing constructive since to save the company, the employees or their pension plan. If this company was Toronto-based, they would have cared and stood strong. Hamilton – not many conservative votes there. Fuggetaboutit.
This sort of representation, demonstrated by Mike Wallace and some others, gives a very strong argument for some sort of electoral reform.
Proportional representation, in some form, would assure that the Steel Workers voices would at the very least be heard. Under this system they feel like, and are, voices in the wilderness.
We should not continue with such non representation, since issues are becoming too complex than to simply rely on an old outdated system.
Mike is a backbencher, warming a seat for Harper, and getting well paid.
He toes and speaks the party line, and told me so in person.
I asked him several years ago to represent CCIW at the time of Harper cuts to Environment, Wildlife, Fisheries, Water, Environmental Assessment and so on. He spouted the party line about money. He did nothing.
So expect no brave words from Mike representing citizens at risk in the Stelco fiasco allowed by Harper in the first place.