Joly didn’t meet with Roshel before deal signed with Stellantis: minister’s office

Résumé détaillé

A spokesperson for Joly's office said the industry minister took part in discussions between Stellantis and Unifor to find a way forward after the company decided to move production previously

Industry Minister Mélanie Joly’s office is disputing media reports that characterized the federal government as having played an active role in negotiations that led to automaker Stellantis selling its Brampton, Ont. assembly plant to defence contractor Roshel.

Mathis Denis, a spokesperson for Joly’s office, said Wednesday evening that reporting that Joly “was involved in the deal is false.”

“The minister had no part in negotiating with Stellantis or Roshel on the deal,” he said.

“The minister was in a conflict resolution (role) between Stellantis and the union. That’s it. The minister didn’t meet Roshel.”

Denis said the minister took part in discussions between Stellantis and Unifor, which represents more than 9,000 Canadian workers for the automaker, to find a way forward after the company decided to move production previously earmarked for the Brampton plant to the United States.

He said the move, announced in October 2025, was in violation of Stellantis’ commitments to Ottawa tied to a federal commitment of up to $529 million through the Strategic Response Fund (SRF).

“Reporting that the minister was involved in the (Roshel) deal is false because the minister, the department and the team would have never approved or agreed to a deal that, first, did not honour their commitment under the SRF, but, second, lacked the union’s approval,” said Denis.

“We have already made it clear to Stellantis that if they were going to move forward with a sale or a deal ... that did not honour their commitment under the SRF, we would use the tools at our disposal to respond.”

“But to be more fundamental, it’s a betrayal of the workers as it is a betrayal of the obligations to Canada and by extension to all Canadians,” Carney said.

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