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Harper would gut the labour movement, union boss tells delegates

The president of the United Steelworkers bluntly criticized the Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper this morning and urged members to support NDP candidates across the country in order to achieve an NDP victory in the upcoming fe

The president of the United Steelworkers bluntly criticized the Conservative government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper this morning and urged members to support NDP candidates across the country in order to achieve an NDP victory in the upcoming federal election.

Hundreds of members of United Steelworkers District 6 (Ontario/Atlantic Canada), assembled in Sault Ste. Marie for the organization's 2015 conference, where Leo Gerard, president of the Pittsburgh-based USW spoke.

Gerard, a Sudbury native with a long association with Sault Ste. Marie's steelworkers, and who has been USW president since 2001,ripped into the Harper government's Bill C-51, which critics say infringes on many rights and freedoms for the sake of enhanced public safety.

"Harper's bill is invasive," Gerard said.

"He can spy on anything you want to do."

"If you want to demonstrate in Harper's world, you could be (considered) a terrorist…in Harper's world the labour movement is the enemy, a drag on the economy."

The NDP has vehemently opposed Bill C-51.

Gerard also called for the reinvigoration of Canada's industrial base.

"One piece of the answer is to quit exporting our raw materials, our logs, the results of our mining operations, quit selling off our steel industry to the foreigners who would shut it down… start adding value to the resources we have in Canada and export them."

"We're cutting down our forests and half of those logs in some cases are being shipped offshore without creating any jobs, and we're buying back finished lumber from China, from Sweden and other places."

"Why aren't we doing that here?" 

Gerard also criticized broken job creation promises made by U.S. Steel when it purchased the former Stelco in Hamilton.

U.S. Steel Canada is now in bankruptcy protection, and speculation is rampant Essar Steel Algoma may purchase the Hamilton facility.

SooToday asked Gerard for his reaction to the recently announced $240 million modernization plan announced by Essar Steel Algoma, with the help of $60 million in funding from the federal and provincial governments.

It is said the modernization will preserve 2,500 jobs at the Sault steel mill.

"I want to make sure Algoma's going to be in good shape for long term survival."

"I want our members to have every job possible…I don't know what Essar's long term plan is, but if they have a mill that can sell and produce and our members have good jobs, raise their family and retire with dignity obviously that would be the best outcome."  

Gerard also favours an Essar purchase of the U.S. Steel facility in Hamilton.

"I think what would be good would be to maximize the domestic steel production in Canada."

"I'd rather see that facility running than shut down and it looks like U.S. Steel would like to shut most of it down."

Approximately 400 members of United Steelworkers District 6 have gathered in Sault Ste. Marie for the organization's 2015 conference at Quattro Suites & Conference Centre, which began Monday and wraps up Thursday.

Ontario NDP leader Andrea Horwath is scheduled to speak to delegates this afternoon.

(PHOTO: Leo Gerard, USW president, speaks to USW District 6 delegates gathered in Sault Ste. Marie for their 2015 conference at Quattro Suites & Conference Centre, August 19, 2015. Darren Taylor/SooToday) 

 


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Darren Taylor

About the Author: Darren Taylor

Darren Taylor is a news reporter and photographer in Sault Ste Marie. He regularly covers community events, political announcements and numerous board meetings. With a background in broadcast journalism, Darren has worked in the media since 1996.
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