Poilievre unveils five-point steel plan, urges Ottawa to sue Stelco’s Cleveland-Cliffs owner

The Story

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre called for Ottawa to sue Stelco’s American owner Cleveland-Cliffs as part of a five-point plan aimed at protecting Canada’s steel industry, saying the legal action should happen as soon as Monday.

Poilievre made the announcement Friday in Burlington, Ont., overlooking Stelco’s Hamilton operations across the harbour, where layoffs began this week after Cleveland-Cliffs said up to 500 workers could be laid off.

He said the lawsuit should seek to bring back workers and restart production at Stelco, or force a sale to a Canadian owner willing to resume operations. “The only thing that we would accept is these workers getting their paycheques, making Canadian steel to build our country,” Poilievre said.

The industry file also includes a letter from Industry Minister Mélanie Joly sent to Stelco president Paul Simon on Monday demanding a plan within five business days. Joly said the plan should outline how Cleveland-Cliffs will meet its commitments, including maintaining employment levels, or face possible legal action.

Joly told reporters Wednesday: “They need to comply. If not, we will use the full force of the law.”

Poilievre’s plan also calls for eliminating the industrial carbon tax, cracking down on Chinese steel imports, accelerating liquefied natural gas projects and negotiating a tariff-free trade agreement with the United States.

Poilievre said Cleveland-Cliffs made binding commitments related to employment when it acquired Stelco, including maintaining unionized jobs and retaining the vast majority of non-unionized positions for five years. He pointed to comments Thursday by Cleveland-Cliffs CEO Lourenco Goncalves that laid-off workers could be recalled if Canada and the United States reach a trade deal, and Poilievre said: “Get back to the negotiating table to get the deal you promised,” addressing Prime Minister Mark Carney.