ProudAlbertanMomma

🇨🇦 MET A LAID-OFF STELLANTIS WORKER AT TIM HORTONS IN BRAMPTON. He looked exhausted. I asked him what was wrong. “I spent years building cars. Now I’m watching politicians argue over who knew our factory was being sold.” I asked what happened. “In 2023, Stellantis shut our plant for retooling. More than 2,000 of us were laid off.” “To build new cars?” “That was the plan.” “And?” “They moved the planned Jeep Compass production to Illinois.” “Okay, but what about your factory?” “Stellantis just signed a deal to sell it to Roshel.” “Who’s Roshel?” “A Canadian company making armoured vehicles.” “Will they hire you back?” “They say they’ll prioritize former workers. But there’s no guaranteed job for everyone.” I shook my head. “Didn’t Mark Carney call the sale a betrayal of Canadian workers?” He nodded. “That’s the interesting part.” He pulled out his phone. “CTV News says three sources reported Ottawa was deeply involved in discussions leading up to the sale.” “WHAT?” “Two sources said federal officials met with the companies more than a dozen times.” “So Ottawa knew?” “Apparently, officials had been aware of the proposed deal for months.” “Then why all the outrage?” “Joly’s office says it never negotiated or endorsed the deal. That’s their explanation.” I asked about taxpayer money. “Federal funding commitments of up to $529 MILLION covered retooling at Brampton and Windsor.” “And now?” “Stellantis says it’ll return the government support it received specifically for Brampton. Sources put that at roughly $24 million.” I sat there thinking. The automaker gets to sell its factory. The defence company gets a manufacturing facility. The government gets to promise accountability. And the workers? They’re still waiting to find out what happens to their jobs. He finished his coffee. Then said something I couldn’t forget. “The factory has a new buyer. The government has a new explanation. But I still don’t have a new job.” And that, my friends, is the part of Canada’s industrial strategy that doesn’t fit neatly into a press release. Everybody has a plan for the factory. Nobody has delivered a guaranteed future for the workers who built its success. 🇨🇦 #Canada #Stellantis

🇨🇦 The Construction Worker Who Asked Who Really Runs Ottawa Met a construction worker at a Tim Hortons in Ottawa. He was having his morning coffee, reading the latest news. He looked frustrated. I asked him what happened. “Have you heard about Mark Carney’s Major Projects Office?” I said yes. “The one created to fast-track billions of dollars in Canadian infrastructure projects?” “Exactly.” “What’s wrong with that? Canada desperately needs new infrastructure.” He laughed. “Nothing. But have you seen who’s working there?” “Government employees?” “Some.” “Engineers?” “Probably.” He turned his phone toward me. “Apparently, 41 employees have been brought in on secondment from outside organizations.” “Okay?” “Seventeen are from private companies.” “So?” “RBC. BMO. Scotiabank. Pipeline companies. Energy companies. Railways.” I nearly spilled my coffee. “WAIT. PRIVATE COMPANIES ARE LENDING THEIR OWN EMPLOYEES TO THE GOVERNMENT?” He nodded. “Some of the same industries that stand to benefit from billions in infrastructure development.” I asked who pays their salaries. “Their employers continue paying them, although the government can reimburse part of the cost.” “Isn’t that a conflict of interest?” “Government officials say everyone is screened and employees can’t work on projects involving their own companies.” “That’s reassuring.” “It is. Industry expertise is valuable. But shouldn’t Canadians be able to see exactly how these arrangements are managed?” I nodded. He took another sip of coffee. “Here’s what bothers me.” “I spend my days building things. I pay income tax, property tax, sales tax. Everything.” “And?” “When I want something from Ottawa, I fill out forms, wait on hold and hope someone answers.” “But when Ottawa needs help moving billions in infrastructure projects forward, major corporations can send their own people into the office.” I sat there thinking. Canada needs investment. Canada needs infrastructure. And Canada absolutely needs experienced people to help deliver it. But Canadians also deserve to know whose interests are being represented and how conflicts are prevented. The construction worker finished his $2 coffee. Then he said something I couldn’t forget. “I thought private companies were supposed to bid on government projects.” “I didn’t realize they could also lend staff to the government office helping move those projects forward.” He put on his work boots and headed out. “Anyway, back to work. Someone has to actually build the country.” And that’s when it struck me. The construction worker gets a hard hat. The banker gets a seat at the table. And the taxpayer deserves to know who’s making the decisions. Welcome to Canada’s nation-building economy. 🇨🇦